
Class /ZV'i Sol 
Book £^56 

Copyright N° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



The Moral Adjustments 

of the 

Christian Life 



By REV. G. A. PEGRAM, S. T. B., Ph. D. 

Author of "The World's View of Eternal Punishment. 



Published by 

KABLE BROTHERS COMPANY 

Mount Morris, Illinois 



WA50\ 



Copyright, 1915, 
By REV. G. A. PEGRAM 



27 1916 

;i. A 4 1 8 6 2 4 

•>U.|, 



PREFACE 

ANEW book on the christian life might not seem 
to be needed, when the book market is flooded 
with religious books of all kinds, and upon prac- 
tically every phase of the christian life. But there are 
several reasons for another. There is scarcely any 
phase of the christian life which has not been at least 
mentioned, or touched upon by some religious writer. 
On the other hand, some phases and difficulties of 
the christian life are barely touched, and not fully 
discussed. It seems to the author that it would help 
clarify, the views of the christian life to discuss more 
fully those difficulties which are omitted by some writ- 
ers, and barely mentioned by others. To do this prop- 
erly it is necessary to discuss in perspective the general 
trend of the christian life. 

The need and -advantage of this form of discussion 
was not only suggested, but also started a number of 
years ago while the writer was conducting a revival 
in one of the eastern States. The altar was filled with 
seekers nearly every night. Most of them seemed to 
have difficulty in attaining a clear religious experience. 
The pastor of the Church suggested to the writer that 
he give a few talks on the steps in the christian life. 
He did so, and the result was that their doubts and 
fears appeared to vanish away very fully and rapidly, 
and nearly every one of those seekers soon came into 
a clear experience of salvation. And the presentation 
of these views has met with similar favorable results 

iii 



iv PREFACE 

every time. The substance of many of these amplified 
discussions has been preached in quite a number of 
different states with fruitful results in a quickened 
conscience, as well as in the easy and rapid settlement 
of former perplexing difficulties of their christian ex- 
perience. So for several years, numbers of people who 
have been helped by these chapters have requested that 
they put into permanent form. 

Then again, many of the difficulties of the christian 
life which perplex the most scrupulous and morbidly 
conscientious seem to be so often omitted from the 
discussion in works otherwise clear and complete in 
their statement of the general principles of the adjust- 
ment of christian conduct at the beginning of a new 
life in moral and spiritual things. Thoughts and 
advices most needed by this class of seekers and 
christians are usually the ones least discussed. 
There is a class of seekers who need and 
should have simply the main points and obliga- 
tions of repentance and faith, for their perplexity arises 
mostly from rebellion against conviction of duty. But 
the former class needs instruction more than denuncia- 
tion or exhortation. This book will help both classes, 
but is aimed more particularly for the former. 

As the book is written simply for earnest, honest 
seekers after saving truth, no particular effort has been 
made for mere rhetoric. The principal aim has been to 
make the message plain and forcible. Rhetorical effort 
might make it more fascinating to some minds. But 
the writer's observations have been similar to those of 
John Wesley, that merely pretty writing does not help 
people's souls as much as does the plain matter-of-fact 



PREFACE v 

style. For the same reason he said also that although 
he could write in an elegant style, he dared not do it. 
It is true however that most writers find themselves 
inclined to drift into rounding pretty sentences. But 
when so doing, the effort is usually manifest to please 
the mind instead of to convince or to persuade it. 
Experience and observation both show that plain sim- 
ple preaching wins and helps more souls to Christ than 
does beautiful rhetoric. The same is true in regard to 
plain writing. But the writer humbly wishes that 
numerous pastoral cares would permit if possible a 
more comprehensive statement of the difficulties of 
christian life and experience, and a more thorough solu- 
tion of them. But no book is ever perfect, and none 
can be made more than a mere index to the thoughts 
and sentiments of the author. So they have to be con- 
tent with what they know is more or less deficient and 
imperfect. 

No pretense is made to its perfection. In fact the 
author feels very much its imperfection. But he also 
feels that as these thoughts were blessed of God as 
they were spoken although they were imperfect, he ex- 
pects that they will continue to be blessed of God as 
they are humbly and prayerfully sent forth in the Mas- 
ter's name to help hungry and perplexed souls who 
are striving to solve the problems, overcome the diffi- 
culties, and perform the duties of the christian life. For 
nearly all of the views herein taught have already been 
tested in the practical experiences of life. It was this 
fact that has led so many for the past several years to 
ask for their publication in permanent form. If under 
the blessing of God, they become a help to earnest, 



vi PREFACE 

honest seekers who are confused and perplexed in their 
christian life, or are tempted to turn back, or who 
have not yet found complete victory, into a better and 
more stable experience, the author will feel satisfied 
and gratified, no matter what objections or criticisms 
might be offered against it. For usefulness and help- 
fulness are the sole objects of its publication, and its 
usefulness and helpfulness will be its own vindication 
in the future as they have been in the past. So with the 
hope and prayer that these discussions may continue 
to be a blessing to humanity under the influence of the 
Holy Spirit, they are sent forth on their mission of 
helping struggling souls. 



TABLE of CONTENTS 

PART I.— MORAL LIGHT. 

Chapters. Page. 

I. THE RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 1 

II. NECESSITY AND ADVANTAGE OF SPIRITUAL 

KNOWLEDGE 26 

III. SOURCES OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 35 

IV. METHODS OF OBTAINING SPIRITUAL KNOWL- 

EDGE 56 

PART II.— MORAL SENSE. 

V. DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF CONVIC- 
TION 77 

VI. THE OBJECTS OF CONVICTION 95 

VII. THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 108 

VIII. THE VARIOUS MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 121 

PART III.— MORAL ADJUSTMENTS. 

IX. THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE.... 141 

X. THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 159 

XI. THE PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 175 

XII. THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS CONFESSION... 188 

XIII. THE CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF CONFES- 
SION 200 

XIV. REPENTING OF THE SINS OF OTHERS 217 

XV. REPENTING OF THE SINS OF OTHERS, Concluded 230 

XVI. THE OBLIGATIONS TO MUTUAL FORGIVENESS.. 247 

XVII. THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS OF SCRIPTURAL 

FORGIVENESS 261 

XVIII. FORGIVINGNESS AND FORGIVENESS 284 



THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS 
OF LIFE. 

PART I. 
MORAL LIGHT. 

CHAPTER I. 
Relation of Knowledge to Duty. 

THE Scriptures teach that they themselves are 
positive and potent factors in causing and main- 
taining, molding and developing the christian 
life. A man's adjustment to the will of God as ex- 
pressed in His Holy Word depends more or less upon 
his native intelligence and the extent of his light. For 
that reason, one must know the limits of his light to 
know the extent of his moral obligation. Moral light 
produces several very beneficial results. It furnishes 
grounds for the faith to obtain salvation. It furnishes 
inspiration to seek the Lord. It supplies the wisdom 
to enable men to keep salvation when they get it. It 
affords directions and incentives to make and mold 
one's christian life. Scripture knowledge inspires and 
enables one to grow in grace. It inspires, encourages 
and directs one in christian work. 

The Scriptures are said to be largely instrumental 
in producing the new birth. Several passages em- 

1 



2 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

phatically declare this. "Of His own will begat He 
us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind 
of first fruits of His creatures." — Jas. 1 : 18. "Being 
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, 
by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." 
— I Pet. 1 : 23. The Spirit of God is the agent, and the 
word of God is the efficient instrument in producing 
our salvation. The Holy Spirit uses Scripture truth, 
which is His truth, in convicting men of sin and con- 
verting them to God and righteousness. 

Then these same Scriptures are the efficient instru- 
ment in freeing us from the domination of sin, and 
effecting our salvation completely. "Ye shall know 
the truth, and the truth shall make you free." — John 
8 : 32. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying 
the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of 
the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure 
heart fervently." — I Pet. 1 : 22. "And put no difference 
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." 
— Acts 15 : 9. Notice in these passages that their 
hearts were purified by believing and obeying the 
truth. The real object of saving faith is divine truth. 
They believed the truth, and were saved and purified. 
Peter in defending himself, said to the council at Je- 
rusalem, "God made choice among us, that the Gentiles 
by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and 
believe." — Acts 15 : 7. Cornelius was told by the angel 
to send for Peter, "who shall tell thee words whereby 
thou and all thy house shall be saved." — Acts 11 : 14. 
So it is very plain that men are sanctified by the same 
agent and by the same instrument as those by which 
they were regenerated, 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 3 

Then a third important point is, that the Scriptures 
are necessary to maintain and develop the christian 
life. Regeneration is the beginning of a new life and 
sanctification is the transformation and preparation for 
a larger life. One is now simply ready to begin a 
successful and effective development of his life. Christ 
said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are 
spirit and they are life." — John 6 : 63. The old prophets 
declared, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowl- 
edge," and "therefore my people are gone into captiv- 
ity, because they have no knowledge." — Hos. 4:6; 
Isa. 5 : 13. So people wane and die in their religious 
life, because of a lack of proper instruction ; or on the 
other hand, proper spiritual knowledge would have 
kept them from backsliding. People very often need 
more wisdom as well as more grace to save them from 
backsliding. 

Again, growth in grace is intimately connected 
with growth in spiritual knowledge. The last recorded 
advice of Peter was, "But grow in grace and in the 
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." — 
II Pet. 3 : 18. Christians must keep pace with the light 
that is flashed upon them to keep clear in their own 
religious experience. When we reach the limits of 
our light in the practice of righteousness, in christian 
work, and in spiritual conquest, we will stop growing 
spiritually unless we advance in spiritual wisdom. 
More light shows men more duties to perform, and 
supplies more wisdom for the proper performance 
thereof. Greater wisdom facilitates progress in per- 
sonal development and spiritual attainment. 

God holds men responsible not only for all the 



4 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

light they have, but also for all that they can obtain. 
This principle and corresponding obligation are taught 
in several ways. Christ said in the parable of the 
unfaithful steward that a servant who did not his 
duty would be punished even though he knew not 
his duty, simply because he knew it not, and neglected 
to learn it. Luke 12 : 47. This shows that men are 
under constant obligation to learn their duty. There 
is one duty which is constant, unvarying and universal, 
and that is the duty of learning one's duty. The com- 
mands to "search the Scriptures," and to read, study 
and meditate, also inculcate this duty. Spiritual truth 
gives knowledge of duty, as well as inspires one in 
the performance of duty. Therefore we are under 
obligation to "receive with meekness the engrafted 
word, which is able to save our souls." — Jas. 1 : 21 ; 
"make us wise unto salvation," "and furnish us unto 
all good works."— II Tim. 3:15-17. So the Holy 
Ghost is the agent, and the word of God is the efficient 
instrument in our salvation from beginning to end, 
and in every step and phase of it. 

I. Relation of knowledge to duty. A man is not 
responsible for the performance of any duty unless 
and until he has been enlightened in regard to it. A 
man may be responsible in regard to one act and not 
in regard to another. He is responsible only so far as 
he has been enlightened. The reality of moral obliga- 
tion, and the actuality of sin, both depend upon the 
fact and extent of one's light and knowledge. The 
Holy Scriptures teach the same doctrine. It saith 
only "to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it 
not, is it sin." — Jas. 4:17. Nor would it be just to 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 5 

condemn a man for doing that concerning whose 
moral quality he had no knowledge nor question. 
Jesus said to the cavilling Jews, "If ye were blind, ye 
should have no sin; but now ye say, 'We see'; there- 
fore your sin remaineth." — John 9 : 41. "If I had not 
come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; 
but now they have no cloak for their sin." — John 15 : 22. 
It is for these reasons, too, that God judges men ac- 
cording to the light that is attainable by them, as well 
as by the light which they have. When light was not 
attainable by men, God "winked at those times of ig- 
norance," "and in times past suffered all nations to 
walk in their own ways." — Acts 17 : 30 ; 14 : 16. But 
when light is attainable, men are required to get it. 

Duty being dependent solely upon knowledge, 
where there is no knowledge there is no duty nor sense 
of moral obligation. Therefore this is more especially 
true where there is no ability, nor any opportunity 
to obtain light. In case of infants, idiots and lunatics, 
there is no ability to learn. No reasonable person 
thinks of holding this class of people responsible for 
their moral conduct. We have all frequently heard it 
said concerning some one that he or she- was not re- 
sponsible; meaning thereby that they did not know 
any better. In the case of heathen at home or abroad, 
they have had little opportunity to learn their duty, 
and so have but little responsibility. Infants, idiots 
and lunatics have but little or no mental capacity. All 
of these have some mental perception, usually of a 
low order, but lack the ability to reason. But this 
class as a rule lack much more in judgment than they 
do in perception. And one's moral sense depends 



6 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

mostly if not wholly upon his judgment. For good 
morality is so often a mere propriety or a fitness of 
things. For the same reasons, infants, idiots and 
lunatics have but little if any moral obligation at all. 
For nothing is required of a man who is entirely devoid 
of knowledge because bereft of an opportunity of ob- 
taining it, or is wholly lacking in moral judgment. 

II. Duty is in proportion to knowledge. Out of 
this preceding proposition grows another principle, 
which is that duty is in proportion to knowledge. Here 
we see the reason why the man who knows his duty 
and does it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; 
while the man who knows not his duty and does it not, 
shall be beaten with a few stripes. — Luke 12 : 47f. Men 
are judged according to their deeds, — Luke 23 : 41 ; 
Rom. 2:6; II Cor. 5 : 10 ; but not alone according to 
them. Several other factors enter in to modify one's 
judgment of all moral acts. There are several prin- 
ciples which serve to gauge the status of men's moral 
conduct. These are their amount of light ; their oppor- 
tunities for obtaining more light; how much and how 
long they have resisted the light ; the persistence and 
force of the temptations to which they have yielded, 
or which they have resisted ; the amount and character 
of the inspiration and encouragement which they 
have received to do right ; and the amount of evil re- 
sulting from their sins, or the good resulting from 
their right acts. 

It was for these reasons that Christ declared that it 
would be more tolerable for the men of Nineveh in the 
day of judgment than for his earthly contemporaries. 
For the men of Nineveh had repented under less light 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 7 

than the latter had, yet the latter had not repented at 
all. The queen of Sheba would condemn the men of 
Christ's time on earth, for she came hundreds of miles 
to hear the wisdom of Solomon, a mere man, while 
these men refused to hear the incarnation of divine 
wisdom at their very doors. — Mat. 12 : 41f. For the 
same reason, too, Christ spoke more favorably of the 
publicans and harlots than he did of the scribes and 
Pharisees. — Mat. 21 : 31f. Likewise also the chief 
priests and the rabbis were more culpable than were 
the laity among the Jews, for the teachers usually 
have more knowledge than do the disciples. 

The dependency of duty upon knowledge is con- 
cretely stated in Luke 12 : 47f. This passage explicitly 
declares that the man who knows his duty and does it 
not, shall be beaten with many stripes ; while the man 
who knows not his duty and does it not, shall be 
beaten with few stripes. Here is plainly stated a dif- 
ference in knowledge, and a difference in the degree 
of obligation, as is clearly implied by the difference in 
punishment. Because a difference in punishment im- 
plies a difference in the obligation. For it would be 
unjust to make a difference in the punishment of people 
whose knowledge and obligations were identical. 

These principles are recognized, acted upon, and 
enforced in daily life. Civil service examinations are 
held for the very purpose of ascertaining whether some 
people are capable of performing certain civic duties 
or not. If found capable, they are accepted for civil 
positions and used; if not, they are refused. Even in 
time of war, when there is positive demand for troops, 
and conscription acts are passed, and every man be- 



8 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

tween certain ages is listed, many of whom are drafted, 
all are required to pass a physical examination to 
ascertain whether or not they are qualified for military 
duty. If they are so qualified, they become soldiers ; 
if not, they remain citizens, and are still under obliga- 
tion to perform all the duties of citizens. Some states 
have an educational suffrage. In such cases and states 
the citizens can exercise all the rights of franchise only 
as they are able to read the Constitution, or show their 
literary attainments in some similar way. 

In private and social matters, our judgment con- 
cerning a transgressor is lenient or severe according 
to the extent of his knowledge of right and wrong, 
or in proportion to his opportunities or ability to obtain 
such knowledge. For the same reason we would not 
blame a child for that which we would consider very 
reprehensible in an adult. So also we would excuse 
a heathen for that for which we would very severely 
condemn a native of a civilized land. We would very 
readily excuse an idiot or a lunatic for doing almost 
anything, while we would make no such allowance 
for a sane man. But few in this country or in India 
would think of condemning the Hindu woman who 
thinks it is her religious duty to cast her baby into 
the Ganges to the crocodiles. But let a woman in 
christian America drown her baby, and she would be 
convicted of murder in the first degree. Civil and 
divine law agree on these principles. An idiot or a 
lunatic would be sent to the Home for the Feeble 
Minded or to the Asylum for a murder for which a 
sane man would be sent to the gallows, electric chair, 
or to the state prison for life. The former would be 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 9 

sent to these places not so much as a punishment as 
for a protection to the public. "For unto whomsoever 
much is given, of him shall much be required; and to 
whom men have committed much, of him will they ask 
the more." — Luke 12 : 48. 

The same principles are observed also in school life. 
Children who cannot read or write are not put to 
studying science, literature or mathematics. Every one 
is expected to begin at the bottom, and pass each 
grade in order till he graduates. All are not put in 
the same grade. Neither do they begin at the top. 
Tasks are given to some which would be absolutely 
impossible to others. Requirements are made and 
punishments are. applied on the same principles. The 
weak-minded, young and inexperienced are treated 
more leniently than are others. Church Conferences, 
Synods and Associations follow the same principles in 
arranging their work. As a rule older and more ex- 
perienced ministers are appointed to the larger and 
more difficult places, and the less experienced to the 
smaller ones. This is not always true; but it is the 
general rule with few exceptions. 

III. One is under obligation to learn his duty. 
There are several reasons for this. It is implied in the 
fact that a man is punished for not doing his duty even 
though he knew it not. It would be wrong to punish 
a man for neglecting to learn his duty, if it was not 
necessary, if it was not possible, and if it was not oblig- 
atory to do so. For punishment to be just, implies all 
three of these. 

There are two classes here. One case is that of 
those who for the first time are convinced that a cer- 



10 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

tain act or course of conduct is wrong. It is their duty 
to learn the reason why such acts or courses of con- 
duct are wrong, that they may know better how to 
correct their own faulty conduct, and that they may 
warn others, and give the reasons therefor. The 
reasons why any act or course of conduct is wrong 
usually suggest a method for the correction of such 
conduct. Another reason therefor is, that a man may 
investigate his own past record, to see whether he has 
committed any sins of ignorance or not, and what they 
were, that he may be able to correct his own conduct, 
if need be. For God requires sins of ignorance to be 
confessed, rectified, and atoned for, as the case may 
require. 

The other case is when a man begins to question 
the Tightness or propriety of some act or course of 
conduct. For from that moment he becomes respon- 
sible for that act or course of conduct whose moral 
quality his conscience has called in question. This is 
divine light seeking entrance into the soul, and cannot 
he rejected nor disregarded without condemnation and 
relapse into darkness, both intellectual and experimen- 
tal. The question here may not be in regard to the 
moral quality of the act itself, but in regard to the 
motive or manner of its performance. The fact is, 
the act itself may be really proper and obligatory, but 
the motive for, and manner of, its performance, may 
be wrong. In any of the above cases, the first duty 
of every man is to seek the truth, and learn what is 
the right thing to do, and the proper manner to per- 
form it. He must not go forward till he knows the will 
of God, and until his own duty is clear. It is just as 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 11 

much his duty to stop and investigate when in doubt, 
as it is to go forward when he has learned what he 
ought to do. The danger warnings along the rail- 
roads to "Stop ! Look ! Listen !" are very applicable 
here. A man is under obligation to observe and heed 
those danger signals along the railroad; and it is his 
duty also to observe and heed the danger warnings 
along the path of life. Trains are not allowed to 
leave the station until the conductor has received orders 
from headquarters. And usually, but not always, 
when orders are received, they are to be carried out 
immediately. 

One class of acts is that of those whose propriety 
or Tightness the conscience calls in question only to 
forbid, and only for the purpose of forbidding. One 
can usually learn the reason for such prohibitions, 
though not always at the time. For occasionally there 
are cases when God wants to test the faith and 
obedience of His children by requiring them to obey 
without letting them know the reason why. Usually a 
man may learn the reason why immediately, but some- 
times he may not. But it is enough to know that it is 
God's will. Genuine obedience obeys with or without 
explanations. The obedient child simply requires God's 
will to be made plain to him. It is 

"Theirs not to make reply; 
Theirs not to reason why; 
Theirs but to do and die." 

The soldiers of Christ ought to obey as unhesitat- 
ingly as did the soldiers of England. Unhesitating 
obedience to the clear will of God shows men's faith in 



12 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

God. It was the unhesitating obedience to all the clear 
will of God, when all that it implied was not known to 
him, that made Abraham the great example of faith in 
the Bible. It was for this very quality that he was com- 
mended, "when he went out, not knowing whither he 
went," "when he was commanded to go out to his 
inheritance." — Heb. 11 : 8. He was given an inherit- 
ance, but what and where he did not know. 

Another case for consideration is, when the mo- 
tive or manner of an act is under consideration, or 
when the wisdom or propriety of one's course should 
be decided. The question of the motive, manner or 
moral propriety of an act is thrust upon the christian 
to be settled, because it must be settled, that neither 
his own christian experience, nor that of others may 
be destroyed nor hindered. If there was no need for 
them to be settled, the Spirit would never thrust them 
into our minds to be settled. The devil never taxes 
men's consciences any. A general belief in right and 
wrong is usually sufficient for him. Yet in some cases 
he may annoy conscientious people over quibbles and 
controverted questions that he may confuse and dis- 
turb their faith and experience. 

But God wants His people to have clear, clean-cut 
distinctions between right and wrong. Therefore 
when any doubts as to the moral status of any act or 
course of conduct arises in a person's mind, his first 
duty is to think and pray through them. People can- 
not pass these questions by without rejecting the 
light that God sends them. Doubt in regard to the 
Tightness or propriety of any moral act tends to make 
the thoughtful and conscientious more careful in his 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 13 

conduct. But the rash usually rush on without think- 
ing of proprieties. While occasionally the hypersen- 
sitive meditate and hesitate too much. 

Learning one's duty is one of the elements of 
obedience. The man who wants to please the Lord, 
wants to learn what is the exact will of God, so that he 
may obey the real will of God, and not the will of 
some one else. But the man who does not want to 
obey the Lord, does not want to learn His will. — 
Isa. 1:3; Prov. 1 : 15ff. "And this is the condemnation 
that light is come into the world, and men loved dark- 
ness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither 
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." 
— John 3 : 19f. This principle is frequently applied in 
everyday life. Sometimes when one person loves an- 
other, and desires to make him a present, or give him 
a reception or a surprise party, he will use a variety 
of means to ascertain what that party desires, even 
when such party conceals his wishes, lest he should 
unduly burden his friends. People should manifest the 
same zeal and effort in learning the word, will and 
ways of God, that they may please Him. And real 
earnest souls are anxious to learn the will of God. 
Sammy Morris came all the way from Africa to New 
York City to ask Stephen Merritt about the Holy 
Ghost. He was sorry and disappointed when Stephen 
Merritt showed him and told him about so many 
other things before he told him about the Holy Ghost. 
He was thinking about the Holy Ghost all the time, 
and cared but little for mere sight-seeing in a strange 
city. Men go all the way to Florida, Colorado, Cali- 



14 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

fornia, and to Europe for the sake of their health. 
They go to Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, Berlin, yea, they 
search the whole world around to gain worldly 
knowledge that passes away. Yet spiritual truth never 
passes away, and is necessary to the salvation of an 
immortal soul. How much more important is moral 
and spiritual truth then than natural? If the more 
eager students after completing their courses in Amer- 
ican colleges, go to England, France, Germany or 
Palestine to pursue their studies further, how much 
more effort ought men to give in seeking the salvation 
of their souls? 

This principle is recognized in civil as well as in 
social and educational life. Many states have com- 
pulsory School Laws. The justice of such laws pre- 
supposes that it is the duty of children to learn, and 
that therefore they should be compelled to learn. For 
it is self-evident that no one should be compelled to 
do anything which it is not his duty to do. Again, 
ignorance of the civil law will not excuse a violation 
of the civil law. If ignorance of the civil law excused 
its violation, the great majority of criminals would 
plead ignorance in self-defense, and consequently 
justice and the conviction of criminals would be next to 
impossible. As it is, many a criminal has sought to 
escape from conviction and the punishment due to 
heinous crimes, by playing the role of ignorance and 
insanity. Even when such efforts have not caused the 
miscarriage of justice altogether, it has caused long 
and needless delays. Of course pretended ignorance 
will be of no avail before the Omniscient Judge. 

This principle and custom requiring every violation 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 15 

of the law to be accounted for, presupposes that it is 
every man's duty to acquaint himself with all the law, 
at least with all the law that applies to himself. For 
the same reason the state requires all the laws to be 
published immediately upon their enactment. The 
state recognizes its obligation to give its citizens the 
opportunity to learn all its laws, though it does not 
assume the obligation to teach its citizens its laws. 
Nevertheless it does two things for its citizens that 
they may have no excuse either for negligence or dis- 
obedience. In the first place, it publishes all its laws 
in order to make them accessible to all its citizens ; and 
in the second place, it gives every citizen an oppor- 
tunity to obtain an education, and in some instances 
and states it compels him to seek it, that he may be- 
come intelligent concerning his duty. 

God follows the same course with His subjects. 
He puts His laws within the reach of every man, and 
expects him to learn them, yea, even commands him 
to learn them. The state thinks it fulfills its obligation 
to its citizens by putting the laws within the reach of 
all, and furnishing its citizens with the means, oppor- 
tunity and preparation for learning them. There its 
obligation ends. Then the citizen's duty is to learn and 
faithfully obey all the law that applies to him. God has 
had His law written and preserved. He has given man 
brains, means and opportunity to educate himself so 
that he may learn all his duty. Yea, more. He has com- 
missioned prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers 
to teach and explain the law to all the people. Besides, 
He empowers and illuminates all the various classes 
of gospel workers to strengthen and help them do 



16 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

their work well. If men cannot read, they can learn 
most of the gospel and law simply by listening to the 
reading and preaching of the word. Some illiterate 
men have been known to be able to quote more Scrip- 
ture than many who could read for themselves, because 
they listened attentively to the reading and preaching 
of the word. So that men in civilized lands are with- 
out excuse. 

Not only is knowledge power, as is often said; but 
ignorance is a dangerous thing. Little knowledge is 
a dangerous thing, not so much in itself, but because 
little knowledge is usually partial and one-sided, and 
often distorted. The wise man said, "Where no coun- 
sel is, the people fall; but in the multitude of coun- 
sellors there is safety. "—Pro v. 11:14; 15:22; 24:6. 
Many a man has been shot because somebody "did not 
know it was loaded." Yet men blame that somebody 
for criminal carelessness, for he ought to have known 
whether it was loaded or not. For in this is manifest 
not only a negligence as to knowledge, but also a neg- 
ligence as to duty. Practical knowledge is far more 
obligatory upon us than is knowledge merely theoret- 
ical, philosophical or fanciful. The highest authorities 
on civil law teach the same principles. T. W. Dwight, 
former Professor of Law in Columbia College, New 
York, writes in Johnson's Encyclopedia on Crime, in 
which he very tersely and pertinently says, "When 
acts are characterized by such a degree of negligence 
or carelessness as to evince a culpable indifference 
whether wrong is done or not, the wanton disregard of 
commonly recognized duties is essentially criminal of 
itself." Again, "The principle is that ignorance of the 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 17 

law must afford no excuse. If such were not the rule, 
all laws would be ineffective, for would-be offenders 
would be likely to abstain from examining their pro- 
visions, and thereby secure immunity." 

In regard to Luke 12 : 47f, it might be objected that 
it would be unjust to condemn or punish a man even 
a little for not knowing his duty. But the principle 
underlying it is frequently applied in practical every- 
day life. For example, suppose a man assigns his serv- 
ant a task. The servant goes immediately and per- 
forms it. That servant's next duty is to inquire what 
his master will have him do next. To neglect such 
inquiry, and sit idly down and do nothing, with the 
excuse that he did not know what to do, would be re- 
garded by many as a sufficient reason for discharging 
that servant. 

The same principle would apply if he knew his 
duty, and yet did not know how to perform it. He 
is under obligation to inquire and investigate how 
to perform it. So it is the duty of every chris- 
tian having nothing to do to find something to 
do. For God wants no one to be idle. So it is the 
bounden duty of every christian when in doubt as to 
duty, or having no apparent duty, to use all available 
means to ascertain his duties. Milton said, "They also 
serve who only stand and wait." But they must wait 
for something, and not for the indulgence of indolence. 
They must wait for the revelation of duty, or for the 
providential openings for the performance of duty, or 
to learn the best means or manner of its performance. 
They occasionally stand still too, but it is to "see the 
salvation of the Lord." 



18 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

This principle will condemn those people who will 
not work because they know not what to do, or know 
not how to do what they already know. God not only 
wants us to learn His will ; He requires us to do so. 
The advices which God gave to Moses concerning the 
duties of a king are applicable to all. One of the re- 
quirements of a king is to "read therein (that is, in the 
law) all the days of his life ; that he may learn to fear 
the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law 
and these statutes to do them." — Deu. 17 : 19. Prophets, 
apostles and Savior all gave exhortations to learn the 
will of God. "Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and 
read," said Isaiah, 34:16. Christ repeated the same 
message to cavilling Jews. "Search the Scriptures, for 
in them ye think ye have eternal life ; and they are they 
which testify of me." — John 5:39. 

A person is under obligation to seek the light from 
the standpoint that it is his duty to improve his talents. 
Both the parable of the talents and the parable to the 
pounds teach that men are condemned for not improv- 
ing their talents. Men are under obligation not only 
to be as good as they can, but also to do all the good 
they can. People cannot do all the good they can 
unless they develop their talents. The acquisition of 
knowledge and personal development are both neces- 
sary to enable one to be and do as good as he can. 

Then ignorant or bungling work brings more or 
less reproach on the Church as well as on the indi- 
vidual. This hinders the cause of righteousness. 
Knowledge is a source of power here as well as else- 
where. If "souls are destroyed for lack of knowledge," 
— Hos. 4:6, it is the christian's duty to acquire 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 19 

religious knowledge in order to show others the way of 
life, that he may save their souls as well as his own. 

The absolute necessity of divine knowledge to the 
attainment of an experience of salvation and a vic- 
torious life in those who have reached the age of 
responsibility, makes its acquisition a positive duty. 
This is implied in Luke 12 : 47f, where it is said that, 
"He that knew not his duty, and did commit things 
worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes." 
For the same reason, Paul was held accountable for 
his blasphemy and persecution even before his con- 
version. However he obtained mercy because he did 
it ignorantly in unbelief. — I Tim. 1 : 13. The form of 
this statement showed that it was sin in spite of the 
fact that it was done in ignorance, and it needed the 
mercy and grace of God to excuse and pardon him. 
Paul did not really know what he was doing; but he 
ought to have known. It was his duty to act intelli- 
gently, and not from mere prejudice. Then common 
sense and a knowledge of the general principles of 
right and wrong ought to teach a sane man some 
things. This was nothing new. It was almost as old 
as Judaism. Under the old Mosaic law, "If a man 
committed any of those things which were forbidden 
to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though 
he wist it not, yet was he guilty, and should bear his 
iniquity."— Lev. 5 : 17 ; also 4 : 2, 13, 22, 27. Should 
ignorance be allowed as an excuse for sin, many a man 
who loved the world would close his eyes to the light 
offered to him, or attainable by him, and would refuse 
to seek or receive more light, and besides would deny 
the light that he had. As it is, "Many love darkness 



20 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

rather than light, because their deeds are evil"; and 
besides "hate the light, neither come to the light lest 
their deeds should be reproved." — John 3 : 21. On other 
grounds, the world might live in wilful sin as well 
as in wilful ignorance, and yet be saved. But God 
has arranged the plan of salvation so as to place a spur 
on human effort to learn as well as to do. It also min- 
isters to an all-round development of all the faculties 
of the mind as well as of the soul. 

Another fact and argument for this duty is the 
form of Christ's prayer for His murderers. He said, 
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they 
do." This statement and its form implied several 
things. In the first place it implied that they were 
either wholly or partially ignorant of the significance 
of their murder of Christ ; Second, it implied also that 
notwithstanding their ignorance their deed was wrong, 
and needed pardon ; Third, it implied that this pardon 
would be given either wholly or partially, presumably 
the latter, because of their ignorance of the significance 
of their own vile deed — at least this ignorance would 
be taken into acount in reckoning with them on this 
matter, but that it would not wholly excuse them 
under any consideration. All of this implies that igno- 
rance only partially excuses sins of any kind in a sane 
person. If ignorance entirely excused their deeds, 
their transgressions would need no pardon. As a rule, 
sinners have four very serious faults: A disposition 
to refuse to walk in the light they have ; a disposition 
to pervert their light ; a tendency to refuse more light ; 
an inclination to refuse to acknowledge the light they 
have. 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 21 

IV. All rational men have a conscience, or the 
light of the moral sense. The goodness and benev- 
olence of God did not leave Himself without any wit- 
ness entirely, Acts 14 : 17, but manifested His power 
and goodness by His providential care of the race. He 
gave to the race both the light of nature and the light 
of revelation. All men, both savage and civilized, have 
the light of nature. Many of the principles of right- 
eousness and justice are manifested in nature. The 
devout scientist can read God's will in the laws and 
phenomena of nature. For God showed it unto them. 
"For the invisible things of Him from the creation of 
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the 
things that are made, even His eternal power and God- 
head." — Rom. 1 : 19f. "For when the Gentiles which 
have not the law, do by nature the things contained 
in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto 
themselves ; which show the work of the law written in 
their hearts." — Rom. 2 : 14. There are several evidences 
of this moral light being given in the consciences of 
men. 

(1). The universality of the intuitive knowledge 
of right and wrong, or the inherent moral sense, 
which is a part of every sane man's mental and moral 
furniture, is shown in several ways. It is amply 
attested by the fact that all nations, including the most 
heathen nations, have some form of prayer and sac- 
rifice. Christians recognize Christ as the all-sufficient 
sacrifice offered once for all; but heathens still have 
their own forms of sacrifice. Paul appeals to this moral 
sense very often, and made special mention of it in his 
address to the Athenians. People of all ages, nations, 



22 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

conditions and attainments, feel a dependence upon 
a higher power. There was a sort of reaching out after 
God on the part of all nations as well as on the part 
of the Athenians. God made them so, "that they should 
seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and 
find Him, though He be not far from every one of us." 
— Acts 17 : 27. Mingled uncertainty and anxiety, and 
a desire for more definite religious knowledge is shown 
by the erection of "an altar to the unknown God." 
This showed that they not only believed that there 
might be another God different from any of their own ; 
but that also such a God might be the true one. 

(2). The universality of divine knowledge is im- 
plied in the moral obligation of all normal men, Acts 
17 : 30 ; Rom. 1 : 20 ; and the liability of all men to 
judgment and condemnation. — John 5 : 28f ; Rom. 2 : 22. 
All men, both the living and the dead, must come to 
judgment. This implies present responsibility and 
moral obligation. For it is difficult if not impossible 
to see how probation could be universal, reasonable 
and just, without God giving a "light which lighteth 
every man that cometh into the world." — John 1 : 9. 

(3). Moral light is manifest also by the fact that 
all men, both savage and civilized, have some standard 
of right and wrong, and show a spirit of approval of all 
conformity to their standard, and disapproval and con- 
demnation of all nonconformity. The fact that what 
some think is right others think is entirely wrong, 
makes no difference in the argument at all. For in 
either case, there is a standard of right and wrong, no 
matter whether it is the true one or not. For the fact 
is simply in there being a standard at all, but not in 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 23 

its accuracy. The moral nature of the heathen is very 
evident, and the more evident in the fact that they 
hold more sacred and tenaciously their religious 
notions and customs than do many of the people of 
civilized lands, and the various denominations of the 
christian Church, who think that their religious views 
and practices far superior to those of the heathen. 

(4). Despite all the differences of opinion in the 
world, and even in christian lands, all people have 
some conception of right and wrong, and also have a 
feeling of obligation to do the right and eschew the 
wrong. There are a few, but only a few, who declare 
that there is no such thing as right and wrong. But 
it is exceedingly doubtful whether these few really 
believe what they say. For these same persons will 
often be found blaming one for what they think is his 
wrong conduct, and commending another for what 
they regard is his right conduct. Their condemnation 
and commendation are indicative of their moral sense. 

But blame is inconsistent without both moral free- 
dom and moral intelligence. This was the weakness 
of the old Calvanistic view of necessity. If necessity 
were true, it would be unjust to blame any one for any 
thing that he might do. For if "what is to be will be," 
effort of any kind is both futile and foolish. If so, a 
man could not do any more or better than he does; 
neither can he do the opposite of, nor different from, 
what he does. Yet on the same theory, it would be 
unjust to condemn blame, for blame itself would then 
be necessitated. 

(5). Opinions as to what is right and what is 



24 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

wrong may be both varied and contradictory ; yet these 
opinions and their concomitant standards still exist. 
All the world recognizes these standards, and appeals 
to them. Even if such standards are not right, the 
world is better off with them than they are without 
them, for several reasons. They are an indication of 
the struggle of the human mind and heart after truth 
and right. Whether they are true or not, they serve 
as a working hypothesis. They serve as a moral 
straightedge by which to test other views and to in- 
vestigate moral questions by applying these principles 
thereto. Wrong theories will be found to fail in prac- 
tice; while the application of good and wise ones will 
bring success. A man is under obligation to do two 
things; he should walk in all the light he has, and 
should use all possible means to obtain more light. 
When any duty or question is impressed upon a man, 
it is his duty to learn all its bearings, applications and 
obligations. 

(6). All sane men have more or less moral knowl- 
edge intuitively ; and consequently they are under some 
obligation. Every normal man who has reached the 
years of accountability, has enough light to start out 
in life with. It is unreasonable and unjust to require 
a duty of any one who knows it not, and has had 
neither ability nor opportunity to know. Sometimes 
Satan tempts people by making them think that they 
are under obligation to perform duties of which they 
know not, and cannot know. Were either of these 
cases true, God would be unjust This temptation 
charges God with requiring man to do more than he 
can do or know. I know of a man who for months 



RELATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO DUTY 25 

was seeking entire sanctification, and failed to find it. 
The reason was because for a long time Satan tempted 
him to believe that God would never sanctify him till 
he did something of which he knew not and could not 
know, and that God would not reveal it to him. This 
hindered him for months. Finally he reasoned with 
himself thus : That God could not justly require a man 
to do anything that he could not do, or could not 
know, nor ascertain. This relieved him of the temp- 
tation, and he soon got the victory, and received an 
experience brighter and better than he had ever 
dreamed of. This clearly shows that the faithful appli- 
cation of these principles will help a man in many of 
the religious difficulties of life and experience. 



CHAPTER II. 
Necessity and Advantage of Spiritual Knowledge. 

IF SPIRITUAL knowledge is absolutely essential 
to the christian life in all its progress, phases and 
degrees, then spiritual knowledge must be of in- 
estimable value to every human soul. Its possession is 
fraught with momentous results. To know aright is life 
eternal. The lack of all spiritual knowledge is spiritual 
death itself. No one can afford to be without it. And 
upon it our eternal destiny depends. Its value and im- 
portance are estimated and emphasized by the various 
things which are said about it in the sacred Scriptures. 
I. If duty depends upon knowledge, and is in pro- 
portion to knowledge, and if even the man who knows 
not his duty is punished because he knows it not, and 
neglects or refuses to learn it, many souls will be lost 
for lack of it; for the reason that so many neglect to 
search the Scriptures that they may find the way of 
eternal life. Some fail to find eternal life because they 
are destitute of spiritual wisdom. Still others lose 
what they have previously gained. Many avoid or 
neglect the acquisition of spiritual knowledge that they 
may the better evade the performance of their re- 
ligious duties, and not be continually conscious of their 
own obligations, or of their deviations from duty. 
Moral truth present to the mind continually prompts 
one to the performance of duty, or rebukes him for the 
neglect thereof. 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 2? 

There are numerous arguments and passages which 
show that many people backslide because of a lack of 
the knowledge of moral truth. Even as early as the 
days of Isaiah, it was said, "My people have gone into 
captivity, because they have no knowledge." — Isa. 
5 : 13. This miserable condition of Israel was said to 
be, because "my people doth not consider." — 1 : 3. So 
the Bible teaches that spiritual ignorance and its re- 
sults are both the people's own fault. The same doc- 
trine was taught by the prophet Hosea, who said, "My 
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." — 4:6. 
This was not God's fault. Neither was it his prophet's 
fault. It was the fault of the people who neglected 
or rejected knowledge. In this case it was not neg- 
ligence, but sheer rebellion. For God said through 
the mouth of the same inspired prophet, and immedi- 
ately following, "Because thou hast rejected knowl- 
edge, I will also reject thee." — Hos. 4: 6. 

It is also very evident from reason and Scripture, 
observation and experience, that people will suffer not 
Only in this world, but also in the world to come, be- 
cause of their lack of spiritual knowledge. Christ said 
with great seriousness and much sadness that Jeru- 
salem would be totally destroyed, because "it knew 
not the time of its visitation." — Luke 19 : 44. Recog- 
nizing the great need of a knowledge of spiritual 
things, Paul had a pressing reason to repeat time and 
again, "Brethren, I would not have you ignorant." — 
I Cor. 10:1; 12:1; II Cor. 1:8; Rom. 1:13. Christ 
had the same purpose for giving the command, "Go 
ye therefore, and teach all nations." — Mat. 28 : 19. 
Christ also reproved the scribes and Pharisees, because 



28 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

they could discern the face of the sky, and could not 
discern the signs of the times.— Mat. 12 : 38-42 ; 16 : 1-5 ; 
Luke 11 : 29-32 ; 12 : 54-57. This shows too, that mate- 
rial knowledge will not avail, and also that a man may 
be shrewd and far-sighted in the affairs of everyday 
life, and still be woefully lacking in spiritual discern- 
ment. 

II. Many have testified that they sought the Lord, 
and failed to find him because they did not understand. 
Of course sometimes people fail of receiving eternal 
life because of a failure to pay the required price in a 
full repentance and consecration. But the fact that 
many, without any apparent or confessed increase of 
either repentance or consecration, but rather because 
of an increase of light and truth, have gotten into the 
light of an experience, shows that it was the instruc- 
tion and inspiration for more faith rather than a warn- 
ing for a more thorough repentance that gave the 
victory. Furthermore, this is more fully shown by the 
fact that it was often preaching almost wholly along 
the lines of instruction, faith and the promises that 
gave the victory to such seekers. It naturally takes 
light to find the way. If the blind lead the blind both 
will fall into the ditch.— Mat. 15 : 14. 

The same truth is taught concerning the back- 
sliding of people through ignorance. It is proverbial 
that young converts need teaching to establish them in 
the christian life. Moral and spiritual truth is the staff 
by which young converts walk to keep them from 
falling. This is emphasized by the fact that many 
young converts are enabled to stand after renewed 
efforts, without making any further or fuller repent- 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 29 

ance or consecration than they made at first. It was 
a stronger and steadier faith because of more light 
rather than fuller repentance and consecration on 
account of more faithful warnings. Young converts 
also testify that they backslid over little difficulties 
when they need not, if they had only understood. But 
fuller instruction reclaims them, and enables them to 
stand when they are reclaimed. 

The Scriptures teach repeatedly that knowledge 
helps the seeker to obtain salvation. Nearly every 
seeker that came to Christ was saved immediately, 
because Christ could show him so clear and plain that 
every such person could grasp salvation by faith easily 
and quickly. Christ exhorted the Jews to "Search 
the Scriptures," that they may know and recognize 
Him as "the way, the truth and the life." — John 5 : 38 ; 
14 : 6. Paul exhorted Timothy to hold fast to the Holy 
Scriptures, because they were "able to make him wise 
unto salvation."— I Tim. 3:14f; Prov. 2:llf. 

III. A thorough Scriptural knowledge clears the 
way of most, if not of all, of one's religious difficulties. 
John the Baptist quoted the prophet's command to 
"Prepare the way of the Lord, and make His paths 
straight." Mat. 3:3; Isa. 40:3. This is good advice 
for both preacher and penitent. Here it is directed 
mostly if not wholly to the seekers of salvation under 
John's preaching. Christ's signal success with seek- 
ers of salvation was due to the fact that He always 
knew what it was in their way, and told them what 
it was, and how to remove it. The saying of Christ, 
"Roll ye away the stone," was not directed to such 
things, but is very often aptly and figuratively so ap- 



30 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

plied. Most of the teachings of the law, prophets and 
apostles was for the sole purpose of clearing away 
men's moral and spiritual difficulties. 

IV. Not only does knowledge facilitate the attain- 
ment of savlation, knowledge also furnishes the strong- 
est incentives to seek salvation. Who that knows 
the possibilities of divine grace in redeeming, devel- 
oping, fashioning and glorifying the human soul ; who 
that knows the glory that shall be revealed in and to 
saints in heaven, the bliss of the purified, the sweet- 
ness of communion with the spirits of just men made 
perfect; who that realizes the intensity and immen- 
sity of divine love, the import and full meaning of 
the self-sacrificing sympathy of Christ, and the possi- 
bility of fully appropriating both to one's own self, 
but feels a yearning to become more Christlike, and 
to attain to the glory and association of the blood- 
washed throng? 

Then on the other hand, who that knows the pains 
and pangs of perishing souls, the woeful wails and 
loud lamentations of the lost; who that knows the 
horrors of hell, and the dark despair of the doomed, 
but instinctively feels a desire to avoid them one's 
self, and to save others from suffering them too? This 
is so true that evangelists always hold up the glory 
and happiness of the redeemed, the love and sacrifice 
of Christ, and the horrors of hell and the dark despair 
and dreadful doom of the damned, to influence sin- 
ners to turn to God and to seek salvation. Moreover 
that is just the reason for the more faithful preaching 
of the word of God during revivals, and for the dis- 
tribution of telling tracts, and for the many personal 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 31 

conversations and Bible readings. These ministra- 
tions must not only be multiplied, but they must be on 
the lines of faithfulness, law, warning and retribution, 
to awaken sleeping souls. These are for the very pur- 
pose of arousing an increased interest in sinners con- 
cerning their own souls' salvation. Nearly all con- 
versions have been secured by the faithful application 
of the word of God as well as by prayer. 

V. Bible knowledge is also a great help in spir- 
itual growth. Peter exhorted his readers to lay aside 
all their besetting sins, and then "as new-born babes, 
to desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may 
grow thereby." I Pet. 2 :2. Those who read the Bible 
most, generally grow most in grace. Those who neg- 
lect to read it, if they can, never grow in grace very 
much, if any. But real intelligent prayer is only a 
pleading of the promises learned. The growth in 
grace which christians make during special revival 
services, is due in part to renewed zeal, to increased 
expectations, to more frequent and earnest prayer, to 
greater effort for the salvation of souls. But among 
these things, is found the especial illumination that 
comes from hearing the gospel preached more fre- 
quently and faithfully, a more earnest personal study 
of the word of God, and a closer observation of the 
work of God in the souls of men. The one who does 
his whole duty must grow in knowledge as well as in 
grace. ; 

Then again, Suppose that a person could grow in 
grace without growing in knowledge ; good judgment, 
or the proper application of knowledge, would be nec- 
essary to direct one's growth and conduct, so as not 



32 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

to frustrate the very end designed. Therefore Peter 
very wisely exhorts his readers, "to grow in grace 
and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." II 
Pet. 3 :18. Ignorant or bungling work sometimes fur- 
nishes a lever for Satan's use to hinder and discour- 
age the people of God. Sometimes the ignorant fa- 
naticism of over-zealous people causes them to back- 
slide altogether. People who have backslidden from 
religious fanaticism usually swing to the other extreme 
and go over into skepticism. 

VI. Bible knowledge also helps in christian work. 
No one feels the need of divine wisdom more than 
does the christian worker. For every christian work- 
er is about half the time at his wits' end to know what 
is the best thing to do. In his pastoral epistles, Paul 
quite frequently adverts to this point. He told Tim- 
othy that the Scriptures are not only "able to make 
us wise unto salvation," but also that "they are profit- 
able for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in- 
struction in righteousness." They can also "furnish 
a man unto all good works." — II Tim. 3 : 14-17. In 
his first epistle to Timothy, Paul had exhorted him 
along the same line also. "Meditate upon these things ; 
give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may ap- 
pear to all. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doc- 
trine ; continue in them ; for in doing this thou shalt 
both save thyself and them that hear thee." — I Tim. 
4 : 16f. He makes it clear and emphasizes it, that the 
salvation of both himself and his hearers depends upon 
a thorough working knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. 

Many stumble and fall, too, on the very threshold 
of the christian life because they are not properly in- 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 33 

structed. The fact is, many who seek salvation never 
get into the kingdom at all because no one clearly 
shows them the way. The most progressive christian 
workers are usually those who read the most. The 
most helpful and successful christian workers are those 
who understand their Bibles best. There is now more 
than ever before a demand for intelligent and skilled 
workers in the vineyard of the Lord. The minister is 
not always now as formerly head and shoulders above 
his parishioners. He now has professional men of all 
classes as hearers. It is true now more than ever that 
the most intelligent people of the community are the 
Church-going people. And be it said, too, that church- 
going has helped to make them so. There are occa- 
sionally exceptional cases, but the fact still remains 
that the most intelligent men and women of the com- 
munity are church-goers. 

People, too, are more critical than ever before. If 
special training were necessary in the time of Christ 
when most of the people were illiterate, when many 
of the Jews could neither read nor write, it is much 
more necessary now. Despite the fact that nearly 
every one of Christ's disciples was a business man of 
good common sense, and experience besides, he kept 
them under His own pedagogical instruction for three 
years. He also gave them special instruction immedi- 
ately before he sent out the twelve and the seventy on 
their short missionary tour. This training and instruc- 
tion he seemed to think was absolutely necessary to 
their success, and happiness, too. His attitude toward 
the proper training of his workers is the more evident 
when we begin to notice how much of His teaching 



34 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

was directed to His disciples only. The sermon on 
the mount, the ordination sermon, the parables of the 
kingdom, the second coming and the destruction of 
Jerusalem, and the sermon in the upper room, were 
all addressed only to His disciples. To close up with, 
He said, that there was still more that He desired to 
tell them, but they were not yet able to bear it, but 
promised that the Holy Spirit should be given to in- 
struct them. 



CHAPTER III. 
Sources of Spiritual Knowledge. 

THE KNOWLEDGE of what is right and what 
is wrong comes from different sources. But 
knowledge is knowledge, just as truth is truth, 
whencesoever it comes. We have the variable or 
human sources of the knowledge of truth, and we 
have also the invariable or the divine sources. Under 
the human or variable sources of truth, we have our 
own example, or personal experience, and the example 
of others. One might be called the truth derived from 
personal experience, and the other truth derived from 
observation. One is subjective, and the other is ob- 
jective. Under this head may also come as sources 
in a sort of way, the reason and also the conscience. 
Under the second head of the divine or invariable 
sources we have two branches, and we might also say 
three : namely, the word of truth, and the Spirit of 
truth. To these a third may be very aptly added, be- 
cause if properly studied it is a means and source of 
learning many divine truths, some of which are moral 
and suggestive of spiritual things. This is physical 
nature, or the works of truth. The first and last of 
these is objective, and the second is subjective. All 
three are divine, invariable and unquestionable. 

I. We will discuss first the human and variable 
sources. These are present and patent to all, and all 
the time, too. The first to be discussed is the experi- 

35 



36 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

ence of truth. Everybody may and does learn from 
personal experience. Such truth is sure and sacred to 
the one who has it. But God generally deals with a 
man according to the personal equation and his moral 
needs. For this reason He may deal with one in a 
different way from that in which He deals with 
another. And so He may deal with one in almost the 
very opposite way that He may deal with another. 
This is because they lean in opposite directions, and 
are tempted in different ways as well as degrees. One 
may be tempted to inordinate love, and another to in- 
ordinate hate. So that one's experience may not be 
the standard for another; though a great many want 
to make their own experience of truth to be the stand- 
ard for every one else. 

But notwithstanding the misuse and faults of the 
experience of truth, men must learn through experi- 
ence many of the things which God wants to teach 
them. Some things can never be learned in any other 
way, and if men refuse to learn such things by ex- 
perience, they will never know them at all. One may 
know his duty, and not think of it; that is, it may 
never occur to him. Another might know his duty if he 
only considered what would be required of him under 
some circumstances. But others still must be taught 
both by precept and example what is right and what 
is wrong. Then there are yet others who scarcely 
grasp their moral obligation in any of these ways. 
Their sense of duty must be wrought into them by 
the rough and heavy hand of experience. The old 
saying is true in some instances, that experience is a 
dear teacher, but fools will learn from no other. 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 37 

The prodigal son knew his duty before he left his 
father's house. But never before did he realize his duty 
as he did when he sat down one day in the swine- 
field, and reviewed his past life, and considered his 
present condition. When he recalled his disobedience 
and disrespect to his kind old father, his sinfulness 
when and since he left home ; his present wretchedness 
brought upon himself by his own sins; his hopelessness 
and almost helplessness as long a he remained away 
from his father's house ; then he saw his own sins and 
sinfulness as never before, and confessed them. "He 
came to himself." The truth that righteousness is in a 
sense its own reward, that the wages of sin is death, 
and that sin is very hateful to God, seemed clearer to 
him than ever before. Before this, sin did not appear 
to him to be very sinful or hateful, nor did he believe 
that there was very much difference between right 
and wrong, and their respective rewards. But after 
his sad experience and destitution in a strange land, 
it is not a matter of belief one way or the other; he 
now knows that there is a difference, and a great one, 
too. One may reject his duty, or he may only neglect 
or doubt it. The prodigal son may have done both. 
Now he does neither. — Luke 15 : 1-20. 

The same facts and principles were true in regard 
to Judas Iscariot. He seemed utterly devoid of any 
conscientious scruples concerning the betrayal of Jesus. 
Even though Christ specifically declared to him his 
purpose to commit the act, its heinousness, and its 
terrible reward, he was not deterred from its commis- 
sion for a single moment. He did not hesitate even 
to interrupt the private devotions of Christ to perpe- 



38 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

trate his villainy. Neither had he any scruples against 
inflicting his malice upon Christ under the guise of 
warmest friendship. He seemed to realize very little 
the turpitude of treason against a true friend, "the 
friend that sticketh closer than a brother." 

But when he learned that Christ was unjustly con- 
demned to a cruel death, his treachery appeared in a 
light very different from what it ever had before. 
Cruelty and injustice are so contrary to nature and 
righteousness, that a reaction often follows even in the 
most malicious and degraded. The sight of the sad 
sufferings of Christ so cruelly and unjustly inflicted 
upon Him by others, wrung from Judas a confession 
of sin, and acknowledgment of the innocence of Jesus, 
and an effort to make reparation for his wrong, and 
finally led to his suicide. All of Judas's own reason- 
ings, and all of Christ's words of wisdom and warning 
never enlightened Judas in some of the principles of 
justice and righteousness as much as did his experience 
of the last few hours.— Mat. 27 : 1-6. 

As for Peter's case, not even his own protestations 
of fidelity, nor even his denial of any thought or in- 
tention of wavering in integrity on his part, nor 
Christ's forewarning him of his temporary apostasy, 
cowardice, dishonesty and profanity, were enough to 
check Peter in his treachery and sin. But after he had 
woefully backslidden, and repeatedly denied Christ, the 
crowing of the cock, and the simple chiding glance of 
Christ reminded him of broken vows of fidelity. — 
Mat. 26:69-75; Mk. 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62. His 
own consciousness of wrong was heightened by 
Christ's look of grief and reproach. — Luke 22 : 61. 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 39 

In all of these cases there is mostly the knowledge 
that conies from experience. In each case, the men 
were wiser, and no doubt better after their experience. 
The prodigal repented, confessed and reformed. Judas 
repented, confessed, and made reparation, but lacked 
saving faith in Christ. Here as elsewhere the sorrow 
of the world without true repentance and trusting faith, 
worketh death. So Judas, being without faith and hope, 
committed suicide. Peter repented, wept, wavered, re- 
formed and was reclaimed; and became faithful and 
loyal unto death, and was a martyr for Jesus' sake. 
Knowledge derived from bitter experience bore some 
good fruit in each case. Repentance and reformation 
was partial in the case of Judas, and wrought confes- 
sion and restitution. In the cases of Peter and the 
prodigal son, repentance and reformation were both 
thorough, and accomplished all that repentance is ex- 
pected to accomplish. 

II. The next source of truth is the example of 
others. In each of the above cases the mind was en- 
lightened, and the soul convicted by a knowledge 
gained from personal experience. But men learn from 
the experience of others as well as from their own. 
The fact is, there is a type of men who learn most of 
what they know in religious things as well as in the 
things of everyday life by simply observing others. 
They learn truth and wisdom by observing the con- 
duct, and hearing the conversation of others, and 
seeing the consequences of the one, and the bearings 
and implications of the other. This is enlightenment 
by the example of the truth. Pilate's knowledge and 
conviction of truth, duty and justice, were much clari- 



40 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

fied and deepened by the conduct and conversation of 
Christ at His trial.— Mat. 27 : 11-24. Pilate was con- 
strained to marvel at His mingled majesty and meek- 
ness, and at His sweet and happy combination of dig- 
nity and humility. So impressed was Pilate that he 
wanted to release Christ and called Him a just person. 
—Mark 15 : 9-14. 

The Roman Centurion, who no doubt had wit- 
nessed many another execution, and performed them, 
too, was seriously impressed by this one. He was con- 
strained to cry out, "Certainly this was a righteous 
man." — Luke 23 : 47 ; and also to declare, "Truly this 
was the Son of God." — Mat. 27 : 54. One of the thieves 
also, after abusing Christ for awhile — Mat. 27:44; 
Luke 23 : 32 ; was convinced by His spirit and manner, 
that He was a righteous man, and seemingly more than 
a man, and sought His mercy. — Luke 23 : 41f . Even 
though the rulers of the Jews were malicious, jealous 
and prejudiced, they were impressed by the dignity of 
demeanor, and nobility of character, manifested by 
Peter and John, and resolved to deal leniently with 
them after their examination. — Acts 4 : 13-27. Gama- 
liel also, a doctor of the law, was induced in the same 
way to make a sort of negative defense of them. — 
Acts 5 : 34ff. 

In each of these cases there is manifest a clearer 
(and stronger) knowledge of duty, and as one result, 
an apparently stronger desire to be and to do better. 
This was all wrought in them by their observing a 
good example of religious truth. Paul recognized this 
truth, and appealed to it, when he advised Timothy "to 
take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine ; continue 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 41 

in them ; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, 
and them that hear thee." — I Tim. 4 : 16. Christ also 
declared in the sermon on the mount, that Scripture 
truth embodied in the lives of christian people was a 
potent factor for good, and for leading others to Christ. 
— Mat. 5 : 13-16. In the same connection he asserted 
that this was one of the purposes of christians in the 
world, and that the world was to be both saved and 
preserved by them. So He exhorts them ; "Let your 
light so shine before men, that they may see your good 
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." 
He insisted that His people were "the salt of the 
earth," and in figure declared that if the world cannot 
be saved and preserved by the light, life and teachings 
of christians, there is no hope for it. 

Paul claimed that the truths of the gospel which 
he preached could be read in the lives of many of the 
Corinthian brethren, and that he needed no other rec- 
ommendation to them except character of his converts. 
"Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known 
and read of all men." — II Cor. 3 : 1-3. People who do 
not read their Bibles, are not only willing, but very 
anxious to read professing christians. So that as has 
been frequently said, christians are walking Bibles of 
Christianity, or are living libels on Christianity. The 
world is very anxious to see whether lives of profes- 
sing christians tally with their teaching. If it does, 
they notice it. If it does not, they soon detect it. 
When the rulers of the Jews "saw the boldness of Peter 
and John — they took knowledge of them, that they had 
been with Jesus." — Acts 4 : 13. 

Christ came into the world for the very purpose of 



42 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

giving to the world a perfect example of the embodi- 
ment of the truth in living form. You cannot tell a 
man how to make a certain tint or color; neither can 
you describe a tone of voice to him, or the fragrance 
or odor of a flower, or the flavor of fruit. So there are 
some things in the spiritual realm which cannot be 
explained nor described ; they can only be demon- 
strated or experienced. So Christ came to demonstrate 
to humanity the great truths of the spiritual realm. 
After seeing Christ in the various trying circumstances 
of life, we can see now how spiritual truths look when 
acted out in daily life. So John, the nearest approach 
to Christliness in his day, exhorted men to walk even 
as Christ walked. Paul also said, "Follow me as I 
follow Christ." Nothing teaches men so clearly the 
real truths of the gospel, and presses conviction home 
so strongly on men's hearts and consciences, as does 
righteous living. All words of wisdom and eloquence 
fail if the speaker's life does not tally with them. But 
if they do so tally, they fasten the words as nails in a 
sure place. There are many who care but little or 
nothing for the arguments and eloquence of men, who 
nevertheless are won to Christ by observing the living 
examples of integrity, fidelity and piety. 

III. The word of God is the third source of moral 
truth. We cannot always see ourselves as others 
see us, for we are usually biassed by our own peculiar 
views and feelings. We also read our own actions in 
the light of our feelings and desires of which we are 
conscious, and frequently overlook the real motive and 
purpose of our conduct. Then again, we continually 
misjudge other people because we see only a small seg- 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 43 

ment of their lives, only a few of their actions, and 
none of their real thoughts and feelings, except as we 
may chance to read them through their words and 
deeds, which may or may not be in harmony with their 
thoughts and feelings. Then both ourselves and others 
are more or less variable. Why, we cannot always tell ; 
neither do we always recognize the fact. Others de- 
ceive us both intentionally and unintentionally; but we 
also deceive ourselves. So we need a standard which 
is apart from ourselves and others, and is also un- 
varying. This standard is found in the word of God, 
"which liveth and abideth forever," "not one jot or 
tittle of which shall fail till all be fulfilled."— I Pet. 
1 : 23 ; Mat. 5 : 18. We need both a subjective and an 
objective standard. The subjective standards may fail 
or vary; and the objective standard may not always 
be present; and if present, the needed direction may 
not always be found. So we need the one to supple- 
ment the other. And so God gives both to us. 

So by far the largest place is given to the Scrip- 
tures as a means of enlightenment in the way of life, 
and to direct concerning duty. When the Jews were 
cavilling about truth and duty, John 5 : 16, Jesus gave 
them the testimony of His Father and of John the Bap- 
tist, to His own person, work and character. He closed 
His exhortation by advising them to "search the Scrip- 
tures," 5 : 39, for they, too, testified of Him.— 5 :46ff. 

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the word, 
which wrought conviction, repentance, and regenera- 
tion in the hearts of hundreds of his hearers. The 
saving, sanctifying faith of christians is also wrought 
by the hearing of the word. — Acts 4:4; Rom. 10: 13f. 



44 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

The conviction of the rulers, who were trying Peter 
and John, were caused chiefly by the words of the 
Apostles, and by the Scriptures which they quoted. 
It was the power of the gospel that led the Apostles to 
make the study and preaching of the word with prayer 
their chief business, and to refuse to let even the tem- 
poral affairs of the Church interfere with it. Their 
bold and Spirit-fraught preaching of the word often 
restrained their persecutors— Acts 4 : 19ff, as well as 
provoked their wrath — 7 : 54. 

The preaching of the word is so important that the 
Lord called Peter all the way from Joppa to Csesarea 
to tell Cornelius how to be saved. — Acts 10 : 6. Corne- 
lius recognized that the word was divinely commanded 
and sent. — 10 : 33. He confessed that the words which 
Peter was to speak were to be such, "whereby thou and 
all thy house shall be saved."— 11 : 14. The Holy Ghost 
was given even while he was preaching the word, 
as a seal of the word, and of their faith. — 10 : 44 ; 11 : 15. 
Here the word was declared to be a means of salvation. 
In Cornelius and his household were literally fulfilled 
the words of James 1 : 18, "Of His own will begat He 
us with the word of truth," and of I Pet. 1 : 23, "Being 
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorrup- 
tible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for- 
ever." The promises of the word are said to be given 
"that we may be partakers of the divine nature." — 
II Pet. 1 : 4. 

For these reasons commands are given repeatedly 
to preach the word.— Mat. 28 : 19f ; I Tim. 6 : 14 ; II 
Tim. 4 : 2. Being saved is called "coming unto the 
knowledge of the truth."— II Tim. 2 : 25f. The work 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 45 

which the word performs in a man is called "making 
him wise unto salvation." — II Tim. 3 : 15. 

The divine side of the work is termed, "giving- re- 
pentance unto the acknowledging of the truth." — II 
Tim. 2:25f; and making him "free indeed." — John 8: 
32 ; Acts 28 : 28-31. It was the preaching of the word by 
Paul that convicted Felix of sin, and made him tremble. 
Acts 24 : 25, and extorted a confession from king Agrip- 
pa. — 26 : 27f. The mere fact, too, that in numerous in- 
stances in the New Testament, the word was preached 
as the principal means of convicting men of sin, and 
of leading them to repentance and conversion, shows 
its recognized relation to conversion. 

The word may be either written or spoken. Truth 
is truth, no matter whether seen or heard, or whether 
written or spoken. It may be in either sacred or sec- 
ular print. It may be in tract or motto, paper or book. 
It may come in kindness or in cursing. Yet its author- 
ity is just the same. Its ultimate source is divine no 
matter whether the messenger is sage or seer, saint 
or sinner, ignorant or learned, pious or profane. When 
we are resisting the truth, we are fighting against God, 
and not against man, and we will surely suffer for it. 

Truth written or printed is usually more critical, 
logical and accurate than is spoken truth, having had 
the advantages of repeated examination and revision, 
and of more deliberation, testing, and polishing. At 
the same time it may have a more studied, stately 
and precise expression. Written truth has another 
advantage. The reader has the opportunity for re- 
reading, which enables him to arrive more nearly at 
the exact truth, not only for getting the precise mean- 



46 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

ing of the author, but also for forming his own judg- 
ment of the matter. 

But one is under obligation to receive truth when 
spoken as well as when written. There is a sort of feel- 
ing among some people, especially among the unedu- 
cated or those only partially educated, that anything 
found in print is authoritative and accurate. But the 
authority of truth does not depend upon the manner of 
its presentation, but upon the fact of its truthfulness. 
In the golden days of Judaism, and in the early days 
of Christianity, but few could read or write. And so 
Scriptural truth must necessarily pass from mouth to 
mouth, and nearly all of divine truth was learned from 
conversation and from preaching. Even now much of 
Scripture teaching is learned in the same way. The 
best and principal preservation of Scripture is found 
in writing and in print. But its reception and usual 
presentation is through spoken language. 

The benefits derived from Class-Meeting are two- 
fold : namely, information and inspiration. As a rule 
more inspiration is received from personal contact 
and conversation. Bacon also said that of ten things 
which he knew, nine he learned in conversation. Here- 
in lies the obligation of christian conference, on ac- 
count of its being the medium of communication of 
spiritual knowledge. Possibly as much spiritual truth 
is learned in christian conference as in preaching. Yet 
the latter may be more logical and learned. So im- 
portant is the hearing of the truth that a woe is pro- 
nounced upon those who will not hear it. Neverthe- 
less the old prophet was commanded to speak unto 
men, "whether they will hear or whether they will 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 47 

forbear." — Ezek. 3 : 11. God not only commands His 
ministers to preach the truth ; he also commands others 
to hear the truth. More than once Christ said, "He 
that hath ears to hear, let him hear." — Mat. 13 : 9 ; 
Mk. 4 : 9. Then there seems to be more inspiration 
to faith in hearing a sermon than there is in reading 
it. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the 
word of God. But how will they hear without a 
preacher?"— Rom. 10:14-17. 

The greatest numbers of trophies of divine grace 
are won through preaching. There are more people 
saved by preaching than by any other one means. 
All denominations use this means, no matter how much 
they differ in their methods of preaching, or in other 
things. And more people seem called to that line of 
christian work than to any other. Again, more peo- 
ple attribute their salvation and growth in grace to 
the preaching of the word than to any other one thing. 
Then, too, the greater displays of divine power are giv- 
en under preaching of the word than in any other form 
of christian work. 

IV. The Spirit Himself is another source of truth. 
The Holy Spirit is called the Illuminator of the truth 
and of the mind. This is very true ; for nothing else 
can illuminate a man's moral sense. All else fails 
without His assistance. Our disposition not only in- 
clines us to learn anything, but it also enhances our 
ability. It is hard for a man to learn what he hates. 
The love of nature is almost a necessity for a man who 
wants to be a naturalist. One cannot well appreciate 
botany, or learn it unless he loves flowers. The fact 
is, a man does not care to learn botany if he does not 



48 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

love flowers. A man wants to learn what he loves. 
And a man can usually learn what he loves, too. 

The same law holds in the social and spiritual 
world. It is said that one cannot well or easily under- 
stand another unless he loves him. No one can usual- 
ly understand a child like its mother, and the strength 
of a mother's love is proverbial. So it is in our relation 
to, and understanding of, God. We cannot know God 
unless we love Him. Neither do we want to know 
Him unless we love Him. Love furnishes us the dis- 
position, and also enhances our ability, to learn and 
know God as it does to learn and know material things. 
And "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by 
the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." — Rom. 5 : 5. 
Love feels, sees and knows because love appreciates 
and sympathizes. Body touches body; mind touches 
mind; but it takes love to touch the inner life and 
spirit. As spiritual things are spiritually discerned, so 
love perceives the reality and character of peoples' 
emotions. When we have the Spirit of God, we love 
what He loves, and hate what He hates. The Spirit 
of God gives us an intuitive insight into the will of 
God, by making our emotions vibrate in harmony with 
His own. No one is so sensitive to the desires and 
affections, enjoyments and sufferings, of another as 
is the man who loves him. After a man is truly con- 
verted to God, he finds himself naturally gravitating 
toward some things, and avoiding others. He may 
very properly suppose that such movements and dis- 
positions of his soul either toward or from such things 
to be indicative of God's will in regard to them. "We 
know that we have passed from death unto life be- 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 49 

cause we love the brethren."— I John 3 : 14. And "ev- 
ery one that loveth Him that begat, loveth Him also 
that is begotten of Him." — 5 : 1. 

But what does the Spirit teach? He does not sup- 
ersede all necessity for the B'ible, nor of using our 
best judgment in investigating the various practical 
problems of life. But He illuminates our minds, and 
opens up the meaning and significance of the word to 
us, and also guides and strengthens our minds when 
we are investigating the moral phases of the practical 
problems of life. God always requires us to use what 
means we have, not only the facts and external data, 
but also the common sense which we have in drawing 
our conclusions. 

The first thing which the Spirit gives us is not 
new truth, but a proper understanding and applica- 
tion of the old. Old truth is of no benefit to us, unless 
understood and applied. So Christ said, "But the 
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father 
will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, 
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatso- 
ever I have said unto you."— John 14 : 26. This saying 
accounts for two facts in our christian experience. 
Occasionally truths which have long been forgotten 
come to our minds unexpectedly, and without 
any effort or bidding, when we are teaching, exhorting 
or warning others, or when we ourselves are in sore 
need of direction, comfort or encouragement. Prov- 
erbs and precepts, verses and texts, which heretofore 
we could not recall if we tried, now come unexpected 
and unbidden. This is the Holy Spirit bringing it to 
our remembrance. He does not bring it all the time, 



50 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

but only when we need it; just the same as He has 
promised to help us in every time of need. At other 
times we do not need it. In the second place He 
illuminates the Scripture to us. He does this also 
when it is really needed. At other times it would 
not be noticed so much nor appreciated. Sometimes a 
text never before understood will be flashed upon our 
souls with a clearness, force and pertinence inexplic- 
able to us, except on the supposition that it is the 
illumination of the Holy Spirit. 

(1). No wonder the Holy Spirit is called the Com- 
forter. He is a helper indeed. Most people realize 
their own sinfulness, but they cannot see where the 
root of the trouble is. But the Holy Spirit shows that 
it is a lack of a proper faith. "When He the Spirit of 
truth is come, He will convince the world of sin, of 
righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they 
believe not on me." — John 16 : 8f. The great sin of 
the world is the rejection of Jesus Christ as the only 
real and sufficient Savior. Most people seem to think 
that sin is in the various kinds of forbidden acts which 
transgress the divine law. No, it is something worse 
than that. It is in the base ingratitude which neglects 
and rejects the best of benefactors. These isolated 
acts are just the isolated manifestations of the inward 
attitude. The tree is always greater than the fruit it 
bears, just as the cause is always greater than the 
effect. The word of God reveals the real status of 
men's thoughts, words and deeds. But the Spirit 
reveals the things of the Spirit: the spirit of sin, — 
which is unbelief; and the cure for sin, — which is Jesus 
Christ the only Savior from sin. 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 51 

(2) The Spirit not only reveals to us what we 
are, and what we need, but also what we ought to say 
and do in the perplexing circumstances of life. Often 
we are beset by bitter foes, trying circumstances, per- 
plexing views, and contrary contentions, so that we 
know not which way to turn. Of course in such cases 
it is difficult to determine what is best to do or to 
say. Then sometimes enemies will seek to turn our 
every word and deed, no matter how good and kind, 
into a reflection against us. When Christ preached 
His ordination sermon to His disciples, He exhorted 
them not to worry nor be anxious at such times as to 
what one should say, "for it shall be given you in 
that same hour what ye shall speak; for it is not ye 
that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which 
speaketh in you." — Mat. 10 : 20. This means divine 
guidance not only in temporal things, and in regards 
to the ethics of the many moral questions of the day ; 
but also in regard to questions of prudence and dis- 
cretion. 

(3). Another very important work of the Spirit 
is to reveal Christ to the soul. Of course this must 
naturally and logically, as well as historically, follow 
saving truth. We must not only have a knowledge of 
sin, and of ourselves as sinners, but also of Christ as 
the Savior of men from sin. So Christ plainly sets 
forth this important function of the Holy Spirit, "When 
He, 'which is the Holy Ghost,' is come — He shall 
testify of me." — John 14 : 26 ; 15 : 26. It is very easy to 
realize our sinfulness, though it is not easy to realize 
that our unbelief is the root of our sins. But it is not 
difficult to realize that Christ is our only and sufficient 



52 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

Savior, when we are pressed into the dust by the bur- 
den of our sins, or of our sinfulness either. Christ must 
be very real, as well as very essential to the faith of the 
soul, before it can appropriate Him for its own salva- 
tion. So the same Spirit which reveals unto us the 
awful sin of unbelief, also reveals to us our only Savior 
from all sin, even Jesus Christ. 

(4). Conscience; or man's moral monitor, fur- 
nishes him with the general principles of moral truth. 
In a sense it is a discerner of truth, too. Conscience 
has three functions, which define what it is. It gives 
one a general sense of right and wrong; it impels him 
toward the right, and warns him from the wrong; and 
after any moral act, it approves the right and condemns 
the wrong. Every normal man is born with an innate 
sense of right and wrong. No matter what may be the 
temperament or disposition, education or attainments, 
environment or moral state, etc., of any normal man, 
he feels this sense of moral discrimination, that some 
things are right and that others are wrong. Noth- 
ing but partial or total idiocy or lunacy seems to 
efface that. Even men in an acknowledged state of 
reprobacy still show that they have a clear moral 
sense; and sometimes it seems to be clearer and 
stronger in them than in many of those who have 
not yet crossed the dead line. The old saying that 
there is honor even among thieves, shows that even 
among the criminal classes, there are ideals of right 
and wrong. Their standards do not always corre- 
spond with ours ; but they have them just the same. 
What one may regard as right, another may think is 
entirely wrong, and vice versa. There is no doubt 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 53 

that every intelligent person has that faculty of moral 
discrimination. 

The conscience is not exactly a source of moral 
truth. Yet this sense of right and wrong is a part of 
every man's mental and moral capital. It is not ac- 
quired, but it is original. It is molded by circum- 
stances, but it is not the creature of circumstances. 
Education is not responsible for the fact of moral 
discrimination, but for its character. Conscience deals 
mostly with general principles, not so much with 
specific acts, nor with isolated facts. In the field of 
general principles, or of immutable morality, its de- 
cision is accurate and final. In the region of specific 
acts in the various relations and conditions of life, 
which is the region of mutable morality, its decisions 
are modified by the moral condition, environment, 
education and peculiar notions of the person. Condi- 
tions and causes, both external and internal, moral and 
physical, may modify the decisions and dictates of the 
conscience; but they can never eliminate it entirely. 
It protests against wrong in spite of our rebellion and 
debates with it. It brings in its decisions in spite of 
all our objections. 

(5). Paul says that we learn some things from 
nature. "The invisible things of God from the crea- 
tion of the world are clearly seen, being understood 
by the things that are made, even His eternal power 
and Godhead." — Rom. 1 : 20. This is simply the laws 
of nature, and the teachings of natural religion. Peo- 
ple who have the light of nature are under obligation 
to walk according to its light, and to be judged ac- 
cordingly. "For as many as have sinned without the 



54 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

law shall also perish without law. For when the 
Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the 
things contained in the law, these having not the law 
are a law unto themselves; which show the work of 
the law written in their hearts, their consciences also 
bearing witness ; and their thoughts meanwhile accus- 
ing or else excusing one another." — Rom. 2 : 12-15. 

So the heathen, who have never heard the gospel, 
nor heard of it either, and have never been enlightened 
by education or civilization, have nevertheless the 
light and promptings of the conscience. It is not ex- 
actly a source of light, but is rather a reflector of the 
"light which lighteth every man that cometh into the 
world." — John 1 : 9. Dr. Daniel Steele, who is 
acknowledged to be an able and accurate writer on 
the various phases of spiritual truth, says, "Among the 
self-evident truths with which the human mind is 
originally furnished is the distinction between right 
and wrong. The power to discover this distinction 
inheres in every sane mind." He with others also 
thinks, "that the moral intuitions, immutable and in- 
variable, are the voice of the divine Spirit immanent 
in all men, irrespective of regeneration and the gra- 
cious indwelling of the Spirit. There is a sense in which 
the Spirit of God is upholding nature. Men are not 
conscious of this substratum of their being, before 
their conscious reception of the Holy Spirit." 

VII. Then reason teaches men some things. When 
men observe certain lines of conduct, and see them 
naturally and surely result in something injurious, 
they almost certainly and rightly judge that such 
things are wrong. Results, good or evil, are really 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 55 

only God's judgments on certain acts or courses of 
conduct. Their reason as well as their moral sense 
declares that such things are right or wrong, accord- 
ing as the results are good or evil. Civil law also 
recognizes this principle when it permits or forbids 
the same act according as it helps or injures another 
man or his property or not. The character of the act 
and its legality are decided by the character of the 
results. Divine law makes many of its decisions too, 
according to the results of the deeds. 

Then again, any act springing from an ill-feeling 
of any kind, reason decides most certainly to be evil, 
no matter whether its results are intended or not. So 
reason decides that both the purpose and the results 
indicate the character of the act or the course of 
conduct. Things which are bad in spirit, purpose or 
results are wrong; and the things which are good in 
spirit, purpose or results are right. In the same way, 
men can reason some things out of the laws of nature. 
There they can see God's will in the laws and phe- 
nomena of nature. The certainty of God's natural laws 
indicate that His character is invariably just and up- 
right. Kindness and affection, and especially parental 
affection in animals, show God's will in such matters. 
Men can reason from natural laws to God's spiritual 
laws; for God gave them both. 



CHAPTER IV. 
Methods of Obtaining Spiritual Knowledge. 

KNOWLEDGE of duty is obtained by two gen- 
eral methods. One depends more or less upon 
our own will and effort, and the other does 
not. In the reception of knowledge we may be either 
active or passive. We may obtain knowledge, or 
arrive at conclusions, after more or less effort. 
We may search for knowledge, or we may arrive 
at conclusions somewhat intuitively. Knowledge may 
come suddenly and unexpectedly, or it may dawn upon 
us gradually aft*r long effort and waiting. It may be 
received with great hesitation and reluctance on our 
part, because of its unwelcomeness, or we may receive 
it with open mind and heart and with much joy after 
great effort and anxiety. We may find knowledge, or 
knowledge may find us. We may search for knowl- 
edge, or knowledge may search for us, as well as 
search us. We hold opinions, but our convictions hold 
us, whether we will or not. They are like old Banquo's 
ghost — they will not down. Opinions may be changed 
frequently, and are very often changed, and in fact, 
they are continually changing. We may and frequent- 
ly do make long and tedious investigations to obtain 
knowledge; or it may be thrust upon us against our 
will. It is not only our duty to receive all the light 
we can get that is offered to us ; but we ought earn- 
estly to seek all we can. 

56 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 5? 

I. We get much of our knowledge without our 
seeking for it. God has graciously arranged this world 
so that we cannot but learn many things. In early 
life everything is taught us or learned by observation 
or experiment. Natural light is diffusive. The sun 
cannot shine around the corners. Nevertheless, the 
light gets around the corners somehow. Much of our 
health, pleasure and usefulness is due to this fact. 
Otherwise shade and shadows would be the veriest 
darkness ; and there would be no light except the great 
glare of noon-day brightness. And further, the line 
between light and darkness would also be the line 
of demarcation between heat and cold. The shades 
and degrees between light and darkness, heat and cold, 
are a great protection as well as comfort to us. Moral 
and spiritual light is very much like natural light. 
A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid. Spiritual 
light will shine. God in mercy has left us without 
any excuse. The various shades and degrees of light 
are also a comfort and protection to us. They furnish 
means for growth without despair, and encourage us 
to go on. 

(a). There are two main avenues by which light 
enters the soul. These are the intellectual and the 
spiritual. The spiritual avenue is the conscience. Con- 
science is a sense of right and wrong. To be more 
explicit, it is a sense of the Tightness of right, and the 
wrongness of wrong. This moral discrimination is 
light of itself. This innate sense of right, truth, duty, 
religion and God is a part of the heritage of every sane 
man. This is the sole ground of universal obligation. 
For without this moral light there could be no ground 



58 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

for universal obligation. God is very kind in giving 
us so much capital to begin with. Rom. 1:19-21; 
2 : 15. This is a light, if not "the light which lighteth 
every man that cometh into the world/' — John 1 : 9. 
So that God left not himself without witness. God 
speaks to the conscience, or to man through the con- 
science. The first light that a man receives is through 
the conscience; and all men receive light through the 
conscience. 

(b). Lest nature should not of itself be a suffi- 
cient guide for man, conscience is re-enforced by the 
Holy Spirit. Man's spirit is assisted and enlightened 
by the Holy Spirit. Conscience of itself, under the 
pressure of worldly prejudices and influences, becomes 
so warped that it does not see moral acts, or moral 
facts either, in their proper perspective and bearing; 
or it may become so seared as with a hot iron, or so 
deadened by sin that it scarcely realizes moral differ- 
ences. The Holy Spirit will heal and rectify the first, 
and quicken and clarify the second. Evan Roberts 
said that when God appeared to him, and gave him 
the Holy Spirit, "It seemed to change all my nature, 
and I saw things in a different light, and I knew that 
God was going to work in this land." "Revival in 
Wales," p. 56. God said to the Antedeluvians through 
Noah, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." 
— Gen. 6 : 3. Here the Spirit was striving with those 
who were disobedient, I Pet. 3 : 19f, who always resist 
the Spirit, Acts 7 : 51. The Spirit very often works 
upon those who are resisting the truth. The Spirit 
not only more or less enlightens those who are re- 
sisting the truth, but also those who are not expecting 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 59 

to receive any new truth, nor to have old truth illlu- 
minated. The fact is, He enlightens those who are 
willing, and those who are unwilling, those who are 
seeking and those who are resisting. 

People who reject all advances from christian work- 
ers, and will not heed the word either written or spo- 
ken, are often convicted of unbelief and of their need 
of Christ by the Holy Spirit using the truth already 
possessed by such. The strivings of the Spirit are 
usually most felt when most resisted. It pierces the 
deeper the more He is resisted. And none suffer so 
much as do those who are rebellious and are bitterly 
resisting the Spirit. This is what is meant by the 
Lord's words to Saul, "It is hard for thee to kick 
against the pricks. " — Acts 9 : 5. The Spirit Himself 
will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, 
and of judgment, John 16:7-11. His work on sin- 
ners is nearly always unwelcome, and is usually re- 
sisted. His work on christians when unasked is usual- 
ly in the line of giving needed light which they do not 
realize that they need or want, but which God sees 
that they need, and is trying to supply. This is usual- 
ly to comfort or to guide, and sometimes to bring peo- 
ple up to neglected duties. His aid is often given to 
show and to impress the obligation to perform dis- 
tasteful duties. His principal business here in this 
world is to re-enforce the obligations of the word. 

(c). Besides the spiritual means of enlightenment 
the conscience, or the human spirit, and by the Holy 
Spirit, which represents the conscience of God Him- 
self to us, we have also the material means of obtain- 
ing light, namely the spoken word, and the afflictions 



60 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

and punishments which God uses to enforce on man- 
kind His truths that are unwelcome. The word 
appeals to the ear, and the afflictions and punishments 
appeal to the men's emotions of peace and comfort. 
The Holy Spirit re-enforces the word on the con- 
science; and the afflictions re-enforce the word by 
impressions on body and mind. It is a sad fact that 
nearly all of divine truth which is not pleasant has to 
be re-enforced either by inner or outer suffering, or 
by promises of reward or of punishment. As will be 
hereinafter shown, much of the so-called conviction 
of people is nothing more nor less than God's dis- 
pleasure manifested to men through His Executive, 
which is the Holy Spirit. All conviction is really 
only God's anger against unrepented sin, when it is 
unpleasant at all. 

(1). Now as to the first or intellectual means of 
involuntary enlightenment, which is the preaching of 
the word of God to men who care not for it, or even 
resist it, it is usually in the form of general calls for 
sinners to repent, or of invitations for unconverted 
men to accept Christ as their Savior and example. All 
of the preaching of the word of God which provokes 
men to wrath are examples of divine truth involun- 
tarily and unwillingly received. Wicked men both 
fear and hate the truth, but sometimes come to church 
out of curiosity, especially during revivals. Usually 
the truths most disliked are those most needed; while 
as a rule, the truths most desired are not the ones 
particularly needed. For frequently when a man is 
anxious for any particular line of truth, it is because 
he has already gone to seed along that line, and has it 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 61 

for a hobby. And when a man has such a hobby he 
dislikes preaching along any other line. 

Most of the preaching of the prophets of the Old 
Testament was warning against sin, and the coming 
judgments of God against unrepented sin, and urging 
the Jews to the performance of unwelcome duties. 
Resistance to truth, no matter whether it is to the 
invitations of the gospel or to the acceptance of the 
promises of God on the one hand, or to the warnings 
and requirements of the law, and the judgments 
against their infraction on the other, is in fact fighting 
against God. God is identified with His truth, is re- 
ceived when it is received, and is rejected when it 
is rejected. When Christ commissioned His disciples 
to go forth and preach, He said, "Whosoever receiveth 
you receiveth me ; and whosoever receiveth me re- 
ceiveth Him that sent me."— Mat. 10 : 40. And bitter 
punishments are pronounced upon every one who re- 
fuses to receive the truth. Jeremy Taylor said, "Who- 
ever rejects the light kisses the mouth of a blazing 
cannon." Men disobey God when they disobey His 
word ; and when they obey God's word they obey Him. 
There is no such thing as being obedient to God, and 
yet refusing to receive or obey His word. God's word 
is simply His communication to men. The Spirit is 
God's Executive and His word is His message and 
will. Disobedience to either is disobedience to Him, 
and we honor Him by obeying His word. 

(2). The next class of truths involuntarily re- 
ceived are those given in the form of reproof or ad- 
monition. These are nearly always unwelcome. 
Whether one sins through wilfulness or negligence, 



62 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

temptation or aggravation, surprise or thoughtless- 
ness, reproof is unpleasant to receive. There is always 
a sense of humiliation in the consciousness of one's 
own sins and shortcomings. Human pride always 
resents human dictation and reproof. Nevertheless 
christians are repeatedly commanded to "reprove, re- 
buke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. ,, 
— II Tim. 4:2. In such cases christians are com- 
manded to speak, "whether they will hear or whether 
they will forbear." Over and over again the old 
prophets were warned to declare the whole counsel of 
God. The penalties and punishments of eternal dam- 
nation were threatened upon them if they were not 
faithful in their messages. If the instruction, ad- 
monition and persuasion of the rebellious were not so 
important, God would not have made it obligatory. 
Timothy was exhorted to be "patient, apt to teach, in 
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; 
if God peradventure will give them repentance to the 
acknowledging of the truth ; and that they may recover 
themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken 
captive by him at his will."— II Tim. 2 : 24ff. 

(d). Much of the will and ways of God is learned 
through suffering affliction. When men reject the 
light given them through experience, instruction, ad- 
monition and reproof, and when men resist the con- 
viction of truth impressed upon them by the Holy 
Spirit, God sometimes afflicts them to bring them to 
their senses. Some men seem utterly unable to under- 
stand a truth until they see it actually wrought out 
in real life. Some are worse still ; they cannot believe 
or receive a truth till they see or feel it in their own 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 63 

lives. Thomas was one of that kind. He said, "Ex- 
cept I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and 
thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." — 
John 20 : 25. When he saw, he believed. But there 
are some who will not believe even when they see. 
They must feel. Those soldiers who saw Christ rise 
from the dead refused to credit it. They who received 
the first-hand testimony planned to offset it by brib- 
ing falsehoods. Christ's miracles and conversions are 
credited to old Beelzebub. Judas himself would not 
heed any of Christ's warnings and admonitions, but 
rushed on as an unthinking horse rushes into battle. 
He was never brought to his senses till Christ was 
condemned to death, and he himself was in the clutches 
of the pangs of hell. Peter could totally forget the 
warnings of his master until he felt the remorse of a 
guilty conscience for having suddenly fallen into ly- 
ing and profanity. Nothing but a severe case of lep- 
rosy could convince Miriam that Moses was a real 
prophet of the Lord, and that she must not meddle 
into other people's social affairs. The self-seeking 
sons of Korah could not be convinced by the facts, or 
by logical arguments of any kind. They must be 
taught by the severer logic of the retribution of broken 
spiritual law. There are truly some people who are 
"wiser in their own conceits than seven men that can 
render a reason." — Prov. 26 : 16. Some men are op- 
posed to rule of any sort. They chafe under any kind of 
restraint. In spite of kindly admonition, they continued 
their opposition to Moses till the earth opened up her 
mouth, and completely engulfed them. 

Punishment is either retributive or reformatory. 



64 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OP LIFE 

The former is given where there is no hope, and that 
was the kind that the sons of Korah received. No 
demand, request or exhortation had any effect upon 
Pharaoh. Each of the ten plagues only brought him 
to regrets for the punishments, but no real repentance 
or regrets for his sins. He relented, but repented not. 
That is the difference between real repentance and 
bogus repentance. The first is sorrow for sin, and the 
latter is simply sorrow for the results or the punish- 
ment. When people refuse to learn by instruction and 
admonition, then God uses the severer measures of 
punishment and affliction. Even these are mercy to 
the wicked. For anything is kinder than to let men 
plunge on into perdition. If heaven is cheap at any 
cost we can afford to suffer anything here to gain 
the blessedness of heaven. The Psalmist said, "It is 
good for me that I have been - afflicted ; that I might 
learn thy statutes." "Before I was afflicted I went 
astray; but now I have kept thy word." — Ps. 119: 71, 
67. The most precious lessons of God's providence 
are learned through affliction and suffering. That is 
why sufferers seem to have a special insight into the 
will, word and ways of God. 

II. Although we receive much enlightenment with- 
out any effort on our part, and sometimes against our 
will, we receive more wisdom, and especially the high- 
est and best kind of wisdom through our own persist- 
ent efforts. If we can receive some light with our 
hearts and minds closed and even resisting, we can 
surely receive more when they are open, and more still 
when we are seeking. God has given the world many 
of the most needed blessings of life without distinction 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 65 

and discrimination. The veriest necessities of life, as 
air and water, light and sunshine, are free to all. The 
means of attaining, maintaining*, and regulating the 
christian life, as reason, conscience and aspiration, are 
given to all. But spiritual life and the experience of 
salvation are not given gratuitously. The choicest 
spiritual blessings are given not only to the favored 
few, but are given only in response to complete conse- 
cration, unwavering faith, and earnest efforts. The 
wise man said, "If thou criest after knowledge, and 
liftest up thy voice for understanding, if thou seekest 
her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treas- 
ure ; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, 
and find the knowledge of God." — Prov. 2 : 3-5. The 
best things in the spiritual life are not free. We have 
to work for the best in the natural life, and in the 
spiritual life, too. Progress in either demands effort. 
And real success demands a full price. No man drifts 
into the christian life. It is the sinner that drifts and 
does nothing. No man moves toward the kingdom 
except by his own free will. The rule is, "If ye will 
return unto me, I will return unto you.'' "If any man 
will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine." 

(a). The most usual and the most natural method 
of obtaining spiritual knowledge as well as physical 
knowledge is by study. The Bible is the great thesau- 
rus of spiritual information. And no man can learn 
the Bible without study. It is folly and sheer fanati- 
cism to pray the Lord to reveal to us direct what He 
has already revealed to us in His Holy Word. So 
Christ exhorted the Jews to "search the Scriptures," to 
learn of Him. — John 5 : 39. He did not exhort them 



66 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

to pray the Lord, and He would tell them about His 
Son. Yet that is the course that some people both 
preach and follow, and the results are always folly 
and fanaticism. Nearly every fanatic sets aside the 
Bible for his own notions. 

Paul, inspired though he was, and a graduate of 
the greatest theological school, the one at Jerusalem, 
nevertheless went into retirement for three years to 
meditate before he began his work. He recognized 
the need of personal effort in the attainment of spirit- 
ual knowledge, and exhorted Timothy to "give attend- 
ance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. — Meditate 
upon these things; give thyself wholly to them," for 
in so doing, "thou shalt save both thyself and them 
that hear thee." — I Tim. 4 : 13-16. Parishioners would 
be better christians if parsons were better preachers. 
Many a Church member has been muddled up in his 
life and christian experience because his pastor's theol- 
ogy was muddy. So Paul endeavored to guard Tim- 
othy against this mistake by exhorting him to "study 
to show himself approved unto God, a workman that 
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word 
of truth." — II Tim. 2 : 15. It is necessary for the 
parishioner to hear the word of God expounded as 
well as to read it for himself to understand it properly. 
This was the mission of Philip to the Ethiopian 
Eunuch, — just to explain the word of God to him. 
That exposition of Scripture meant his salvation. He 
was reading the word, but did not understand it. 
But Philip's short and luminous exposition threw a 
flood of light upon that Scriptural enigma. Then 
again, the word appeals mostly to the intellect alone. 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 67 

But the preacher's personal presence and faith appeals 
to his heart, too, and so re-enforces the plain word of 
God. So the hearer has a double inspiration, the in- 
struction of the word, and the inspiration of another's 
faith, which is always contagious. "For faith cometh 
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But how 
shall they hear without a preacher?" — Rom. 10:14. 
The advertisements of patent medicines, or of inven- 
tions are not enough to convince us. We want the testi- 
mony of some creditable person whom we know. 
Some few are convinced by the advertisements; but 
many more are convinced by the personal testimony of 
friends and acquaintances. Some people are convinced 
by the word of God alone. But many more are con- 
vinced by the personal testimony of their friends and 
acquaintances that the balm of Gilead is able to heal 
the sin-sick soul. Oral testimony helps the one who 
gives it and the one who receives it also. 

(b). Related to the above is another method very 
similar. As experience of truth is one of the sources 
of spiritual knowledge, so experiment is one of the 
methods of obtaining spiritual knowledge. In the 
laboratories of science, men experiment over and over 
again to arrive at facts and laws, principles and truths. 
After men have become practically certain as to the 
substance of truth, they will continue to experiment 
to test the truth and the extent of its application, and 
then to perfect its statement and use. Edison spends 
day after day experimenting with electricity, and by 
so doing, has learned very thoroughly the principles of 
the telephone, telegraph and phonograph. His numer- 
ous experiments have enabled him to develop and per- 



68 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

feet these instruments beyond anything ever attained 
before. The great advancement in medicine and sur- 
gery of the last few years was made by repeated ex- 
periments. Most of the Agricultural Colleges are sim- 
ply schools of experiment to learn the best methods of 
farming. 

Men have come to the knowledge of spiritual truths 
in the same way. All of the great christian workers 
have attained to their proficiency likewise. It is said 
that Sam Jones tried various methods of preaching till 
he found one that was successful, and then followed 
it. D. L. Moody came to his great and unusual suc- 
cess only after trying and testing a great variety of 
methods. The Holy Club at Oxford tried many plans 
before it found one that was satisfactory to live by. 
John Wesley, John Fletcher and George Whitefield 
all fasted and prayed till they nearly ruined their 
health. Meanwhile they were testing many different 
methods of living a christian, trying to find the best 
one. After trying repeatedly to obtain salvation by 
works, they thoroughly learned and taught that salva- 
tion is not by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ alone. 
Nearly every one who is working out his salvation 
is experimenting, trying to ascertain the easiest and 
most successful way to live. So some of the depart- 
ments of Church work have grown out of experiments 
which were made in trying to meet the demands and 
needs of the world. This has also given rise to nearly 
all of the various denominations, each one using and 
advocating a different method of getting saved, or of 
doing Church work. As we see them learning the 
success or failure of the different methods, we see them 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 69 

coming nearer and nearer together in doctrine, polity 
and manner of administration. 

We also learn both the will and ways of God by 
experiment. Moses learned the presence and power 
of the Lord by experimenting with the rod. Korah 
and his friends wanted to be priests, and to offer in- 
cense, too. Moses let them make the experiment. He 
told them to get censers, and offer incense, and see if 
God would accept them. They did so, and the earth 
swallowed them up. Nadab and Abihu thought that 
strange fire or any other fire was just as good as the 
consecrated fire from the altar of God. But they lost 
their lives in making the experiment. 

These sad facts bring forward another important 
point. God will often let men experiment with nature 
and doubtful things that they may learn the facts in 
the case. But God absolutely prohibits men from ex- 
perimenting with what He has clearly and unequivo- 
cally prohibited. No latitude or liberty is allowed 
here. Nothing is permitted in the field of God's abso- 
lute commands and prohibitions but unquestioning 
obedience. God is willing to help us in obtaining the 
truth. But He permits no evasion, hesitation or 
equivocation as to truths or commands concerning 
which we are certain. Above all things, God does 
not allow us to experiment with evil. This was the 
sin of Adam and Eve. God absolutely forbade the 
use of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil, and explicitly declared to them what would 
be the consequences of an infraction of His order. 
His clear and positive command was not enough for 
them. His declaration of death as certain to follow 



70 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

disobedience was insufficient to deter them. They 
must know for themselves. They soon learned by sad 
experience that God's orders are not to be trifled with. 
God does not want us to experiment with evil now 
any more than He did in ancient times. We can know 
both from testimony and from wide observation that 
the use of whiskey and tobacco is injurious. If we 
defy the truth testified and observed, we must suffer 
the consequences. 

On the other hand, God promised great blessings 
to Israel upon certain conditions. The people doubted 
and hesitated. The prophet encouraged them, and 
said, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that 
there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now 
herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open 
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a bless- 
ing, that there shall not be room enough to receive 
it."— Mai. 3 : 10. 

(c). Following closely upon the last two points, 
and growing out of them, is another very similar. Men 
must learn the profoundest truths by faithful obedi- 
ence. Scientists, experimenting in the laboratories, 
learn but little, almost nothing, till they get into line 
with natural law. Of course while out of line, they 
can learn that they are not getting nor doing what they 
want. They can soon see, too, that they are not in 
harmony with natural law. Still as long as they are 
not in harmony with natural law they are making no 
practical progress in knowing nature. Men discover 
but little if anything at all that is new until they learn 
the principles and limits of natural law, and then 
work within its bounds. But progress in knowledge 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 71 

and practical application are usually very easy and 
rapid when one gets and keeps in line with the prin- 
ciples of natural law. Beyond it or contrary to it, 
progress is next to impossible. It matters not whether 
it is steam or electricity, physics or surgery or medi- 
cine, one must follow the lines of natural law to make 
any progress in invention or knowledge either. One 
may learn by making experiments contrary to natural 
law, that some things are impossible, and also the 
effects of the violation of it. 

The same is true of the christian life, too. Men 
make progress in the christian life and in religious 
knowledge only by obedience to the laws of both the 
natural and spiritual life, and especially the latter. 
Those who study morals and divine things but do not 
obey, "are ever learning, but are never able to come 
to the knowledge of the truth."— II Tim. 3 : 2-9. The 
superior knowledge and wisdom of Jesus was obtained 
through His superior obedience. He Himself declared 
that He came to the knowledge of the truth in His 
human estate by obedience. The Jews asked, "How 
knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" 
Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not 
mine, but His that sent me. If any man will do His 
will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of 
God, or whether I speak of myself." — John 7:15-17. 

There is a great advantage to the world at large 
in making simple obedience the principal means of 
obtaining spiritual knowledge. Did it depend upon 
money or position, ability or training, study or oppor- 
tunity, it would in a sense be unequal and unjust. 
But the fact that it depends upon simple obedience, 



72 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

puts spiritual understanding within the reach of all, 
even of the poorest and the humblest, yes, even of the 
one who has scarcely brains enough to render him 
accountable. And sometimes we see this truth ex- 
emplified in some one much below mediocre, and yet 
because of whose loyalty and obedience to God, he 
has gained an insight into divine things which seems 
to be denied to the wise and learned. Jesus acknowl- 
edged this fact, and expressed His appreciation of it, 
when He said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven 
and earth, because thou hast hid these things from 
the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed them unto 
babes."— Mat. 11 : 25. 

There is another advantage in the divine plan of 
giving spiritual knowledge. It not only gives the poor 
and ignorant a chance equal with the man better situ- 
ated in worldly things ; it makes the difference, where 
there is a difference, always in favor of the pure and 
the obedient. They are the ones who need spiritual 
knowledge most. The truth is, the disobedient do not 
need any light. They sin against the light they have. 
More light would not help their souls while they con- 
tinue in sin. Greater light would only increase their 
damnation. Light to a wicked man is a curse and not 
a blessing. God only gives to wicked men enough 
light to show them their duty, and to warn them 
against neglecting it. So it is very kind in God to 
give the most light to those who want to walk in it; 
and in refusing it to those who reject it. Christ said, 
"If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is 
that darkness." — Mat. 6 : 23. Paul said, "If our gospel 
be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." — II Cor. 4:3. 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 73 

This point can be illustrated very well from social 
life, and its customs. People do not care to reveal 
their secrets to those whom they know to be their 
enemies, or even to mere acquaintances. But to peo- 
ple who love us, care for us and have our interest at 
heart, we sometimes tell our secrets and plans, espe- 
cially if they are willing to help us carry them out. 
Usually men wait to see whether others can be trusted 
with their plans and secrets before they become very 
communicative to them. God is much the same way 
with us. He does not tell everybody His secrets. He 
waited to prove Israel. The Psalmist David said, "The 
secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." — Ps. 
25 : 14. Fear in the Scripture often means obedience. 
Then it means that God gives His secrets to them that 
obey Him. 

(d). Prayer is another means of obtaining spirit- 
ual knowledge. Many spiritual difficulties will not 
yield either to study or to experiment. Men are quite 
helpless in the spiritual realm. "Spiritual things are 
spiritually discerned." — I Cor. 2 : 14. The Holy Ghost 
must teach us some things which we cannot learn by 
ourselves. Prayer for divine wisdom is simply ask- 
ing the great teacher to teach us. He does this through 
the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is given in 
answer to prayer. When He comes He will teach 
men and guide them into all truth. — John 14 : 26. 
God teaches us in two ways. He illuminates the word, 
and sharpens and clarifies one's spiritual vision. The 
incoming of the Holy Spirit not only imparts a spiritual 
perceptiveness, and conditions favorable to obtaining 
spiritual wisdom, but He gives us an insight into 



74 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

old truth also. First, He brings old truth to our re- 
membrance, and flashes new meaning into it, and 
shows its importance, significance and application. So 
that old truths known and used, and possibly unused, 
will stand out in a relation never before thought of. 
Next, He will lead men into truths entirely new, call- 
ing attention to passages of Scripture never noticed 
before, and some apparently meaningless and useless. 
Things perplexing and confusing have become clear 
as the noonday when they were taken to the Lord in 
prayer. Many spiritual difficulties seemingly refuse 
to yield to study alone. God Himself must explain 
some of His own problems and mysteries. This He 
has promised to do in quite a number of passages of 
Scripture. The Lord's own brother after the flesh 
tells us, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of 
God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth 
not, and it shall be given him." — Jas. 1 : 5. Cornelius 
of Csesarea received explicit direction to send for Peter, 
who was then at Joppa, and would be found upon 
the house-top of Simon a tanner, who lived by the 
seaside. He and his location were pointed out very 
definitely, Acts 10 : 3-6, 30-33. Peter also received spe- 
cific directions and instructions in regard to the will 
of God concerning his new call to preach the gospel to 
the Gentiles, while he was praying, Acts 10 : 9-20. 
God has promised to teach us His way, Ps. 25 : 9 ; 
32 : 8 ; His judgment, Ps. 25 : 9 ; His doctrine, John 
7 : 17 ; His wisdom, Jas. 1 : 5 ; I Cor. 1 : 30 ; His will, 
Eph. 5:17; our sins, John 16 : 7-9 ; our salvation, Rom. 
8: 16; our needs, Rom. 8: 26f ; our gifts and blessings, 
I Cor. 2 : 12 ; I John 3 : 24. This wisdom is not for 



SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE 75 

everybody ; but for the obedient, John 7:17; the meek, 
Ps. 25 : 9 ; the faithful and steady, Jas. 1 : 5-6. 

God reveals His will in other ways besides His 
word. Occasionally He does it by His miracles and 
providences. He answers in different ways, because 
people ask for different things, and for guidance in 
different ways. Some ask God to impress upon them 
what He wants them to do. Others ask God to show 
them His will by opening the door that He wants them 
to enter, and to close all the doors which He does not 
want them to enter. Still others ask for God to give 
them signs to indicate His will. Gideon asked God to 
give him the sign of the wet fleece and the dry ground, 
and the dry fleece and the wet ground, to show whether 
God would save Israel by His hand or not. Some very 
wisely ask God to show them His will through His 
Holy Word, which is really God's appointed way for 
the instruction of men. Others ask God to give them a 
passage of Scripture indicating His will. Still others 
ask God to help them to understand the Scriptures 
while they are searching them to ascertain His will. 

God delights to show men His will if they love His 
will. "If any man will do His will he shall know 
of the doctrine." But the carnally minded and sinful 
are "ever learning, and never able to come to the 
knowledge of the truth." They are not ready for it, 
and it would do them no good, but harm. Christ re- 
fused to give any signs to mere curiosity seekers, 
Mat. 16 : 1-4. He has also declared that the stubborn 
and rebellious will some day seek Him, and not be 
able to find Him ; they shall call, but He will not 
answer them, Prov. 1 : 23-33. 



76 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

But no matter in what way we ask, or in what man- 
ner we seek, God will give us light if we need it and 
ask it. God is making great efforts to enable us to 
learn His will. He sent His prophets and apostles; 
He gave us both the law and the prophets, both the 
gospels and epistles ; He gave us His Son for an ex- 
ample, and His Spirit for a guide. All needful pro- 
visions have been made for our learning. The things 
written aforetime were written for our learning. If 
we cannot learn God's will on all essential points of 
life, it is our fault and not God's. Not only ought 
we to seek divine wisdom in prayer as a last resort; 
we ought to use it faithfully while we use the other 
means which God has provided for our enlightenment. 
In fact we should use all of God's appointed means to 
learn His Holy will in everything. 



PART II 

CONVICTION, OR THE SENSE OF MORAL 
OBLIGATION. 

CHAPTER V. 

Definitions and Limitations. 

THE discussion of the preceding chapters has 
laid the foundation for the principles of this 
section. For conviction, or the sense of moral 
obligation, depends upon the quality and amount of 
spiritual light. If a man understands the principles 
of religious knowledge, its extent, limitations, signif- 
icance and obligations, he will understand the signif- 
cance, limitations and principles of religious convic- 
tion. In fact, some of the points concerning convic- 
tion ought to be clear already from the previous dis- 
cussion. The practical application of the principles 
already laid down will be shown and discussed in the 
succeeding chapters. 

1. Definitions. There should be more discrimina- 
tion used in regard to the term conviction. Con- 
fusion of terms confuses thought and the trans- 
mission of thought. Conviction is sometimes confused 
with repentance, and sometimes with conversion. It 
is neither, notwithstanding the fact that it is an es- 
sential condition of both, and a concomitant of both. 
The Standard Dictionary defines conviction as "the 

77 



78 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

state of being convinced ; also a proposition firmly be- 
lieved ; the state of being religiously convicted." Web- 
ster says conviction means "the act of convincing of 
sin and sinfulness; the state of being convinced or 
convicted by conscience; the act of convincing one of 
error; strong belief on the ground of satisfactory evi- 
dence, without any implication of previous error." In 
a religious sense, the verb convict means "to awaken 
to a consciousness of sin." 

We wish to notice this last definition a little more 
closely. Most people believe that it implies and in- 
cludes two things which are not necessarily a part of 
conviction. The first is, that it implies that the person 
convicted has been in previous error, or has committed 
some serious sin. The second is, that so many believe 
that no person has conviction till he has some harrow- 
ing feelings, which they think are the very essence 
of conviction itself. In some cases of conviction these 
two elements may be present, and may be necessary 
to some forms of conviction. But they are not neces- 
sary in all cases. There are variations in conviction 
just as there are variations in knowledge. Religious 
knowledge has different factors in it; so has religious 
convictions. 

Conviction is a feeling or persuasion that one act 
is right, and that another is wrong; and that one is 
under obligation to do right, and avoid the wrong; and 
in some instances it is a feeling of having done wrong, 
and that one is under a condemnation for having 
done wrong, and deserves punishment. This feeling 
of obligation springs from a knowledge of right and 
wrong, and of duty, Jas. 4:17. Springing from a 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 79 

knowledge of duty, conviction is increased by an in- 
crease of a knowledge of duty, Luke 12 : 47f. All sane 
men have some knowledge of duty, and so have con- 
viction, Rom. 1 : 18-21 ; even among the heathen, Rom. 
2 : 12-16. Some duties are universal, and are obliga- 
tory upon all men, as for example, the duty of keeping 
the ten commandments. Then there are some duties 
which are special and personal, John 21 : 21f. The 
former is more important, being universal and applic- 
able to all ; but the latter is no less obligatory upon 
the individual to whom they are assigned. Jonah was 
under just as much obligation to preach to Nineveh 
as he was to observe the decalogue. Paul was under 
the compulsion of a woe, to warn and woo the Gentiles, 
just as much as he was to walk in all the command- 
ments and ordinances blameless, Acts 26 : 16-20 ; I Cor. 
9:16. 

A man is under obligation to learn his special duties 
as well as his general ones, Luke 12 : 47f. This is 
shown in the command to search the Scriptures, John 
5 : 39 ; in the charge to study as well as to read, I Tim. 
4 : 13-16 ; in the effort to disseminate the gospel by 
preaching, Mat. 28: 19f ; in the fact that men are pun- 
ished for rejecting special truths just as much as they 
are for the general ones, as for instance old Pharoah, 
Acts 28: 26f ; Rom. 1: 28; Ex. 7-12. Christ wants the 
conviction of duty to be abiding, and blesses those 
who retain it, Luke 12 : 43 ; and curses those who do 
not, Luke 12 : 47f ; and constantly exhorts to fidelity 
and continuance in well doing, John 15:4, 9. In fact, 
only those who have this conviction of truth and duty 
in them until death, and act accordingly, have any 



80 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

promise of salvation, Mat. 10 : 22 ; Heb- 3 : 14. Our 
salvation is in our spirit and attitude more than in our 
works, or definite acts, because we carry our nature 
and disposition with us. So our nature and character 
is of far more importance than is our conduct. 

Conviction is a feeling of obligation to do the 
right and eschew the wrong, and exists in all sane 
men, without respect to past course of conduct, present 
moral purpose, or spiritual condition. Conscience is 
the faculty, and conviction is the act or state of the 
conscience, in its moral attitudes. He who has always 
acted upon his convictions of truth and duty, no mat- 
ter whether absolutely right or not, need never have, 
and rarely ever has that torture of soul, usually termed 
conviction, but improperly so. No one who walks in 
all the light he has, need ever have that agony of 
soul due solely to having resisted the truth or the 
Spirit, either in the past or in the present. Why should 
one feel any more misery of mind or soul when re- 
ceiving the truth at one time any more than at another, 
unless he resists the truth. The reason that the truth 
heard after conversion does not produce the mental 
misery called conviction, is because of the present 
condition and attitude of one's soul. The soul having 
been properly adjusted to moral truth, and toward all 
duty, past, present and future, it can no longer feel 
any compunctions of conscience therefor. The misery 
of soul resulting from the truth presented to its con- 
sciousness is simply because of its consciousness of 
the commission of sins in the past, of its present sin- 
fulness, or of its rebellion against present duty. If 
such consciousness of past sins or of present sinful- 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 81 

ness be removed, neither the truth nor the Spirit, nor 
the consciousness of any present obligation, need pro- 
duce any unrest, anxiety or misery in the soul. If so, 
why should the preaching of the word to any soul 
who has never erred from truth nor duty consciously 
nor intentionally, produce a harrowing of the feelings, 
commonly called conviction. The soul can so fully 
and quickly adjust itself to all truth and duty as it 
comes to them, as never to be out of the divine order, 
and never feel any pang or sting from them either 
great or small at any time. It is the past moral con- 
duct, or the present condition of the soul, or its present 
attitude toward truth and duty, that causes the pres- 
ent effect of truth upon the soul. If the soul has been 
right in the past, and is still right, the reception of 
truth by it is a pleasure. If it is not right, and has not 
been, the reception of truth may be a misery. A 
present consciousness of righteousness enables one 
to shout for joy while listening to a sermon which 
makes some sinners quail, gnash their teeth or cry for 
mercy. In fact a christian who is saved up to date, 
can shout under severer truths than those which first 
brought him to the penitent form. The effect which 
the truth has upon a man's feelings, as well as upon 
his life, depends almost entirely upon the manner and 
spirit with which he receives it. So a man's feelings 
are more or less under the control of his will, and he 
can make them ■ pleasant or miserable, just as he 
chooses. They are entirely so within certain limits. 
II. A number of observations and discriminations 
should be made here. There are two forms of convic- 
tion, from the moral standpoint. The first is a sense 



82 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

of obligation to do the right and eschew the wrong. 
The second is a sense of being wrong, or of having 
done wrong. The first exists before, during and after 
the act, in fact all the time of one's consciousness and 
sanity. The second exists only after a wrong act, 
or during the time of the consciousness of one's carnal- 
ity. All rational men have the first. No one need 
ever have the second, though all do sometimes, and 
some do all the time, because their consciences are 
never relieved of its burden of sin, by a proper moral 
adjustment. 

People often confuse conviction and affliction. 
Every sane man right or wrong has conviction. Af- 
fliction comes only to those who have resisted the 
truth or the sense of duty more or less. When some 
men pray for God to convict men, they mean for His 
Spirit to reprove those who are rejecting His truth, 
or resisting His Spirit, and to afflict their souls, so 
that misery of soul may drive them to do what a 
mere sense of duty will not do. When one will not do 
his duty, right his wrongs, seek a change of heart, or 
the eradication of an evil nature, he resists his own 
convictions of right and wrong, and brings upon him- 
self the wrath of God, Heb. 10:26-29. In fighting 
against God he brings affliction upon himself, Acts 
9 : 5. This wrath was very manifest when under the 
apostles' preaching it is said that their hearers were 
"cut to the heart." Their suffering and soul torture 
were expressed by that phrase. 

In addition to one's being conscious of having done 
wrong, or of being wrong, there is also a feeling of 
remorse and affliction that comes from the conscious- 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 83 

ness of rebellion against God, and from His wrath that 
He shows against us, Acts 5 : 33 ; 7 : 51-54. This feel- 
ing never comes to any but those who do resist, or 
have resisted known truth. This is one reason why 
some people never have that intense feeling of misery 
commonly called conviction, that others have. It is 
absurd and unjust to expect all classes, old and young, 
moral and wicked, savage and civilized, to have the 
same kind and amount of conviction, or of feelings 
either. The men mentioned in the book of Acts had 
resisted, and were continuing to resist the word of 
God. The remorse of Judas Iscariot was due to his 
persistent resistance to the truth faithfully impressed 
upon him during all of Christ's ministry, Mat. 27 : 3-5. 
The words convict and convince are both derived 
from the same root, and mean practically the same 
thing. They are but little used in the Scriptures, only 
about nine or ten times in all. And in only a part of 
these are they used in the sense of making one feel 
sinful or miserable, or sorry for .past sins, or for a 
present evil nature. The sense in which it is used in 
the Bible corresponds almost exactly to the sense in 
which it is used in the dictionaries. The fact is, their 
definitions seem to be taken mostly from the Bible 
itself. The Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias give 
the same sense to these words. As the Bible Encyclo- 
pedia says, "Conviction, in general, is the assurance 
of the truth of any proposition. In a religious sense, 
it is the first degree of repentance, and implies an 
afTecting sense that we are guilty before God ; that we 
can do nothing of ourselves to gain his forfeited favor ; 
that sin is very odious and hateful, yea, the greatest 



84 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

of evils." Convict and convince are used in four senses 
in the Bible. First, it is sometimes used in the sense of 
winning to a truth. Second, in the sense of making 
men feel the sinfulness of sin, John 16 : 7-11. Third, 
in the sense of impressing men that they themselves 
have committed sin, Job. 32 : 12 ; John 8 : 46 ; I Cor. 
14:24; Tit. 1:9; Jude 15. Fourth, it is used in the 
sense of condemning one for sin, no matter whether 
he realizes it or not, John 8:9; Jas. 2 : 9. 

Let it be noticed that in three of the above senses 
the words may not refer to any effect on the feelings 
either by the truth or by the Spirit. And even in 
the remaining case, the feelings may not necessarily 
be wrought upon. Of course in each one of these cases 
the feelings may be moved ; yet not necessarily so. 
In each one of these cases also, the one convicted may 
feel and show the same nonchalance that condemned 
criminals often show before the bar of justice when 
receiving their life or death sentence. No matter if 
they are convicted and condemned to a severe sentence, 
they act indifferently, whether they feel so or not. 
Who is foolish enough to say that because the culprit 
does not have or show any feelings that he is not 
convicted, or that he does not know that he is con- 
victed? Men under conviction often declare that they 
are under conviction, that they know it, and that they 
deserve it, and still manifest an apparent indifference. 
I say apparent, for it may be only apparent, though 
sometimes it does truly seem to be real. The mind 
may be convinced without the heart or will either be- 
ing moved. Such cases very frequently occur. 

The word affliction is used in various senses also. 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 85 

It is used in the sense of sorrow, distress, oppression 
or persecution, Ex. l:llf; 3:7; Job 5:6; Mk. 4:17. 
Here in one passage it is used rather in the sense of 
distressing or punishing to compel to perform work 
required. In the above instances the subject is pas- 
sive under it. But it is also used in a reflexive sense. 
In the Old Testament men are commanded to afflict 
their souls, Lev. 16 : 29, 31 ; Num. 29 : 7 ; Isa. 58 : 3, 5. 
In these passages it is used in the same sense as 
when a man is told to weep and howl, especially for 
his sins. God sometimes does for men what they 
refuse to do for themselves. He is not only repre- 
sented as punishing men to compel them to obey, but 
men are also represented as obeying Him because He 
punished them. The Psalmist said, "Before I was af- 
flicted I went astray ; but now I have kept thy word." 
Again he said, "It is good for me that I have been 
afflicted ; that I might learn thy statutes. ,, — 119 : 67, 71 ; 
Heb. 12:10f. If God afflicts men in body and prop- 
erty to compel obedience, it is reasonable to suppose 
that He would afflict them in mind also for the same 
reason. This is very likely the case with Saul when 
it is said that an "evil spirit from the Lord troubled 
him.' , — I Sam. 16 : 14 ; 18 : 10 ; 19 : 9. No doubt he had 
what some people call "old time Bible conviction." 
It very well answers the description. 

In the New Testament, the description of afflic- 
tion is given several times without using the word 
itself. It is said that men "were pricked in. their 
hearts," "they were cut to the heart," Acts 2 : 37 ; 5 : 33 ; 
7 : 54. This was due to the preaching of the word un- 
der the power of the Spirit. In these cases both the 



86 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

mind and heart were affected ; the truth affecting the 
mind, and the Spirit reaching both. Let it be noticed 
too, that while this is supposed to be real conviction, 
the word is not used in connection with either of 
these instances. In the New Testament the word af- 
flict is used also in the reflexive sense as in Jas. 4 : 9, 
where he commands them to mourn over their sins. 
These descriptions show that the soul suffering some- 
times termed conviction may be purely voluntary and 
active, as well often involuntary. Bible passages show 
that it is sometimes affliction on the person, as in per- 
secution and captivity as in the case of Manasseh, 
II Chron. 33 : 10-13 ; or in the mind and soul, as in 
Lam. 1 : 12, where the affliction is called sorrow due 
to anger. 

It has been fully shown that conviction in its 
primary sense is merely a sense of right and wrong, or 
rather a sense of the rightness of right, and the wrong- 
ness of wrong. This is all that is necessary to begin 
the christian life, or to begin any act or course of 
conduct. It is not necessary to feel bad to become a 
christian, or to perform any act of righteousness. All 
that God desires is for men to walk in all the light 
they have, and they can do this no matter whether 
they have little or much light, and no matter whether 
they feel good or bad. God is reasonable, and He 
wants us to recognize that He is reasonable, and to 
act reasonable ourselves. 

God wants us to wait for conviction without wait- 
ing for affliction. When people are invited to come 
to Christ, they excuse themselves by saying that they 
have no conviction. But every rational man has all 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 87 

the conviction that he needs upon which to act to get 
into the kingdom of God. So many have foolishly 
imagined and taught that nothing but distress of mind 
or soul is conviction so much and so long, that num- 
bers of sinners take refuge behind their own indiffer- 
ence as a sufficient and legitimate excuse for refusing 
to accept Christ now. Whereas people should be 
taught that their obligations are in proportion to their 
light, and not in proportion to their feelings. And 
men's feelings are not always in proportion to their 
light ; in fact, their feelings may be in the inverse ratio 
to their light. As a rule, the illiterate have, or at least 
manifest more feelings than do the highly educated. 
There are exceptions however. But they are very few. 
When men refuse to act or to turn to Christ because 
of a lack of any or of sufficient feeling, they should 
be apprised of the fact that acting upon conviction, 
if it be real conviction, not only increases the con- 
sciousness of one's conviction, but also increases the 
feeling often attending conviction, and causes it, if 
not already present. In one of my revivals several 
years ago, a young man hesitated to come to Christ, 
under the excuse that he lacked feeling, or conviction, 
as he called it. He had recently married. I asked him 
if he felt much affection when he first began courting 
his wife. He replied in the negative. I then asked 
him if he did not feel more affection for her after he 
courted her awhile. He said, "Certainly." I said then, 
"You begin seeking the hand of the Lord, and you 
will soon have so much affection for Him that you will 
not want to do without Him, any more than you would 
want to live without your wife. He said that he never 



88 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

thought of it in that way. The next night after I 
showed him this principle he came forward to the altar. 
He had no sooner reached the altar than he began to 
weep very bitterly. Nobody during all that gracious 
revival manifested as much feeling as did he. 

It is of no use to wait for conviction in the sense 
of feeling in order to act or begin the christian life. 
It is men's duty to act upon their sense, and not upon 
their feelings. John Wesley exhorted his people to 
"trample under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that 
we are not to do good unless our hearts are free to it." 
It is mere folly to wait for feeling. Waiting for con- 
viction in the sense of light is true and noble, manly 
and Christlike. This is simply waiting for light in 
which to walk. But waiting for conviction in the sense 
of feeling, or rather for affliction, is really stubborn 
disobedience to the light one has, and rebellion against 
the truth one possesses. 

This principle can be very clearly illustrated from 
everyday life. And often men are much wiser in the 
practical everyday life of the world than they are in 
religious affairs. Christ Himself said that the children 
of this world are wiser in their generation than are the 
children of light. Suppose that a parent commands a 
child to perform some little chore or run some errand, 
and the child says, "I do not feel like it now. I am 
waiting for conviction." And suppose that every time 
the parent gave it a command, the child should say, 
"I do not feel like it," you would say it simply did not 
want to obey, or it would obey, feeling or no feeling. 
Most parents would give it some feeling by a little 
manual dexterity. If so, is it conviction that he gives 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 89 

it, or is it affliction? Such an excuse on the part of 
the child is nothing more nor less than pure dis- 
obedience. 

The same is true also of every person who refuses 
to walk in the light that he has, simply because he does 
not feel like it. Is the child foolish? So is the sinner. 
Is the child disobedient and wicked? So is the sinner. 
Is the child under obligation to do his duty whether he 
feels like it or not? So is the sinner. Is the child re- 
sponsible for his refusal to obey? So is the sinner. 
Yet the old false doctrine that conviction is not sense 
but feeling, and that we are not to act till we have that 
sort of conviction, lends its support to such rebellion 
and disobedience. And when a person says that he is 
waiting for conviction, he is not really waiting for con- 
viction, but till God afflicts him, and punishes him till 
he is perfectly miserable ; so that for the sake of peace 
and comfort he surrenders, and give himself to 
Christ. It is high time that this refuge of lies was 
swept away. Thousands of sinners are today hiding 
behind this flimsy excuse, when they ought to be 
shown that God requires them to walk in all the light 
they have, no matter how they feel; and that any ex- 
cuse for not making an immediate surrender to God 
is sure evidence of disobedience and rebellion, and 
needs strong rebuke. 

Conviction, as some call it, but in reality the 
troubled feeling due to the Spirit's rebuke for wilful 
disobedience, may be gotten or increased in either one 
of two ways, which are almost the opposite of each 
other. In some people one of these methods will bring 
conviction, while in others the second method will 



90 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

produce it. One can bring feeling, or increase it if he 
already has it, by walking in the light he already 
possesses. Yielding to, or walking in the light of one's 
conviction, often tends to break a hard heart, or a 
stubborn will. This is especially true when one has 
been for a long time resisting the light of truth and 
duty, and rebelling against its plain obligations. Sec- 
ond, fighting against one's conviction often tends to 
press its obligations the more forcibly upon him. This 
was what was meant when the Lord said to Paul when 
smitten down, "It is hard for thee to kick against the 
pricks." — Acts 9 : 5. Fighting against recognized ob- 
ligations often makes them seem the more obligatory. 
And usually the profoundest convictions are found in 
people who have long fought the truth, and made all 
manner of excuses for not accepting its obligations. 
Their final and forced surrender makes the truth seem 
more important. Resisting the truth without par- 
ticularly fighting it will occasionally drown one's 
feelings, and deaden the dictates of one's conscience, as 
well as increase them. Neglecting or smothering the 
convictions hardens the heart and drives away the 
chiding Spirit. 

III. The influence which the truth has on the mind 
depends almost wholly upon the spirit and manner in 
which it is received. Therefore it is well to discuss 
this subject a little further. This is necessary for a 
proper diagnosis of the various cases, and a proper 
diagnosis is most important in religious therapeutics 
as well as in physiological. In regard to the state of 
the feelings when receiving the truth, there are four 
classes mentioned in the Bible. 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 91 

First, there are some people who receive the truth 
as a matter of no importance, either one way or the 
other. It is no more than a mere fable to them. In a 
sense they neither accept nor reject the truth. How- 
ever their non-acceptance of gospel truth is its prac- 
tical rejection. Those who neglect the truth remain 
unsaved just as much as if they had wilfully rejected 
the truth. Indeed they are the most discouraging 
people to whom the minister of the gospel ever has to 
preach. The Athenians belonged to this class. — Acts 
17 : 32f. They listened to the gospel as if it were of no 
more importance than were the discussions of Greek 
philosophy. Indeed it meant no more to them. To 
some of them not so much. To such it was mere fool- 
ishness. Paul distinctly states that this was the im- 
pression which it made upon the Greeks, both Athen- 
ians and Corinthians. He said that the gospel was 
"to the Jews a stumblingblock, and to the Greeks 
foolishness. ,, — I Cor. 1 : 23. 

Second, there is another class who do not feel any 
particular misery of soul when receiving the truth. 
This class is that of those who have endeavored to live 
a moral life, but have failed to measure up in their 
conduct to their own ideals and endeavors. These are 
the ones who are ignorantly feeling after God, and are 
stumbling along in the moral twilight, and are groping 
after more light and a larger life. When new light, 
hope or power is offered to them, they receive it wil- 
lingly, yea, even gladly ; — Acts 2 : 41 ; 13 : 41 ; or as the 
Bereans did, "with all readiness of mind." — 17 : 11. 

Some men are wicked because of their own evil 
nature. Others are wicked from mere weakness, or 



92 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

from the influence over them of a wicked person, who 
is stronger or beloved. The first class are wicked 
themselves, and make others so, too. . The latter have 
good intentions, but are led by the intentions of others. 
These often hear the preaching of the word gladly. 
This was true of Herod the tetrarch. He heard John 
gladly, but his wife turned him against John. — John 
6 : 20. Those who have been long deprived of the gos- 
pel usually receive it gladly when it is given. — Mk. 
13 : 37. This is the reason why the gospel is gladly re- 
ceived by children, by the heathen, and often by the 
ignorant wicked in civilized lands. It is a fact, very 
patent and marked to every close observer, that it is 
only those who have wilfully resisted the light in the 
past, and have done it repeatedly and continuously, 
who suffer pungent pains from pointed preaching. 

Third, there are two classes of people who are 
afflicted with a torture of soul often termed conviction. 
One is of the kind who is even now resisting the truth, 
and feels bad because he is resisting the light, and 
sinning against it. They wilfully refuse to obey the 
truth. These are the ones who are cut to the heart 
when plain, pointed, pungent truth is presented to 
them under the unction and power of the Holy Ghost. 
They are the people who persecute those who preach 
or live the truth. — Acts 5 : 33 ; 7 : 54. In fact their pres- 
ent torture of soul is due principally to their present 
wilful rejection of the truth, though not wholly so. For 
past moral obliquity may be responsible for a good 
portion of it. But the present wilful disobedience 
strongly emphasizes the agony of soul due to past 
moral defects. In fact, the present attitude of soul 



DEFINITIONS AND LIMITATIONS 93 

decides the present feeling of the soul, as well as its 
moral state, more than does any other one thing. But 
the second class, which is that of those conscious of 
past transgressions, does not as a rule suffer as much 
as does the class who are now consciously and wilfully 
disobedient. They suffer from the consciousness of 
past sins, but have no desire for moral improvement. 

Fourth, the next class is that one partly related to 
the former. This is the class who now want to do 
right, are trying to do right, but are tortured by a sense 
of their past sins. Many who are now living reason- 
ably clean, moral lives, are brought under a painful 
sense of their past godlessness and disobedience by 
plain, pointed Scriptural preaching". Though having 
resisted the light in the past, new light, or old light 
with new force, has brought them to the point of de- 
cision to obey and receive the truth. They may be 
hesitating about accepting Christ, and beginning the 
christian life, or they may have already resolved to 
live for God. But the consciousness of past disobe- 
dience, and of their present subjection to dominant evil 
habits, give them a painful sense of sorrow and regret. 
We have several such instances in the Acts of the 
Apostles. All had resisted the truth in the past; but 
all had resolved upon reformation of life, and accept- 
ance of Christ as their personal Savior. All too were 
inquiring the way of life. These were the hearers of 
Pentecost, Paul while at Damascus, and the Philippian 
jailer.— Acts 2 : 37f ; 9 : 5f ; 16 : 30-33. The form of the 
feeling of this class is regret for past conduct. When 
they have feeling, it is not as poignant as is that of 
the class which is still fighting the truth. Their pres- 



94 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

ent desire to accept the truth as the rule of their lives 
breaks its pungent influence over them, more or less. 

The effort to adjust one's self to the truth clears 
the conscience of some of its shadows. The desire and 
the effort to adjust one's self to God and His truth 
may be so eager and earnest that its acceptance may 
be very aptly characterized in the words of Scripture, 
"then they heard the word gladly."— Mk. 6 : 20. This 
refers to a man who has always been regarded as 
wicked, but who was probably wicked from mere 
weakness. Yet the word declares that Herod heard 
John gladly. Some may say that it did not amount to 
anything because he heard it in that way. But the 
inspired writer does not seem to want to make that 
impression, for he declares that he not only heard him, 
but that he did many things. This more than inti- 
mates that he strove to obey many things that he 
heard. This statement also shows that present poign- 
ancy of feeling is due principally to present resistance 
to known truth and duty. For Herod's past life had 
been far from ideal. But his present eagerness or wil- 
lingness broke the force of the influence of his past 
life on his feelings of comfort. 



^p 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Objects of Conviction. 

HE objects of conviction are always and only 
■ truth and duty, and their opposites, sin and 
-"*" -error. A discussion of truth and duty alone 
would not be complete in itself. Their bounds and 
obligations cannot be understood without a knowledge 
of their contraries. In fact, it is impossible to discuss 
the one without at the same time discussing the other. 
A man cannot consistently exhort one to the perform- 
ance of a duty without at the same time warning him 
against the neglect thereof. Moreover the contrast to 
anything always shows it up more clearly. White 
always appears more brilliant when shown against a 
dark background. So righteousness always seems 
much more obvious when it is contrasted to sins or 
sinfulness. A just presentation of character can be 
made only by showing its relation to both duty 
and sin ; to its virtues and its defects ; to omit either 
the positive or the negative would be equivalent 
to the attempt to build upon an incomplete foun- 
dation. 

I. Conviction relates first and primarily to duty, 
and to duty which is present. We are under no obli- 
gation to observe the Christian Sabbath on either 
Saturday or Monday, or on any other day. But we 
are under obligation to celebrate the Christian Sab- 
bath when Sunday comes. Every day brings its own 

95 



96 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

duty. Monday's responsibility is the performance of 
the plain practical duties of everyday life. Holy rest, 
sacred service, and christian worship are the duties 
of the Christian Sabbath. 

Again, we are under no obligation to do what is 
ahead, or absent, or impossible. The present, possible 
and needful define the bounds of present obligation. 
We may know what is going to be our duties and 
calling in the future, before we are under any obliga- 
tion whatever to take them up. Nevertheless we are 
under obligation in such cases to prepare for coming 
duty, and to make no engagements conflicting with it, 
which would either prevent or hinder the performance 
of it when it comes. While "the King's business re- 
quireth haste," "he that believeth shall not make 
haste."— I Sam. 21 : 8 ; Isa. 28 : 16. Christ exemplified 
this principle in two ways. First, He kept His 
disciples under training for three years; thus paying 
a high compliment to intellectual preparation, as well 
as to observation and experience in life. Second, 
after He arose from the dead, He exhorted His 
disciples to "wait for the promise of the Father," and 
to "tarry at the city of Jerusalem until they were en- 
dued with power from on high."— Luke 24 : 49 ; Acts 
1 : 4-8. This shows men's dependence upon the Holy 
Ghost for results. Christ very clearly called the 
twelve to preach the gospel. It is very clear also that 
He wanted men to prepare to preach, by the very 
course that He followed with them, in keeping them 
under His own instruction so long before sending 
them out. Some fanatics would have sent them out 
right away, whether they were prepared or not. God 



THE OBJECTS OF CONVICTION 97 

planned the salvation of the world 4,000 years before 
He sent Jesus Christ to consummate the plan. 

A call to the ministry is a call to prepare for the 
ministry. A call to any position is a call to prepare 
for it, unless perchance one is prepared already. There 
is a development in faith and patience that comes by 
waiting. Sometimes God seems to delay men in 
their work to give them time to polish and deliberate. 
Some men are anxious to learn everything, and try 
to learn everything except the wisest and best way 
to apply what they know. One needs to study the 
perplexing problems that belong to every important 
position, no matter what it is. Even while a mere 
youth, David was summoned to the kingship of Israel. 
But he did not come to the throne for nearly ten years. 
Saul too was anointed king some time before he came 
to the throne. In his case, there were several steps 
to the throne. He was first anointed by Samuel. Then 
after he had a chance to show his ability for leadership 
by his victory over Israel's enemies, he was elected 
to the kingship under Samuel's supervision. Shortly 
after that he was publicly inaugurated. Elisha was 
anointed to succeed Elijah about ten years before 
Elijah was transported to heaven. I have known of 
several men who declared that they felt called to 
preach the gospel in their childhood. But they did 
not preach when they first felt their call. Neither did 
they or anybody else think that they ought to preach 
then. They were under no obligation to enter upon 
the office and work of the ministry before they had 
attained to sufficient age and preparation. But when 
sufficient age, and mental and spiritual preparation 



98 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

have been attained, and appropriate opportunities 
have come, then their obligation becomes immediate. 
—Acts 9:20; 26: 19f ; Gal. 1:16. Men must be pre- 
pared, and the time fully ripe for men to act. An im- 
mediate call unites in time and men. 

II. Convictions of duty will fasten upon a delin- 
quent soul a sense of his moral defects, both of his 
definite acts and his neglects. The amount of such 
a sense of delinquency depends upon the degree of 
enlightenment, and the extent of one's moral de- 
ficiency. Conviction includes a sense of the guilt of 
the commission of sins, and also a sense of one's moral 
obliquity; but is not limited to them. So many make 
the mistake of so limiting it. The foolish virgins 
were convicted of carelessness and indifference and 
indolence. — Mat. 25 : 8-13. The prodigal son was 
pained with a sense of his ingratitude, indolence, dissi- 
pation and sinful extravagance. — Luke 15 :18f. The 
penitents of Pentecost were cut to the heart for their 
malice and murder of Christ. As a rule, sins of com- 
mission are followed by a stronger feeling than are 
sins of omission; because sins of commission require 
a more active and a stronger volition for their per- 
formance than do sins of omission. For most sins 
of omission are due to weakness rather than to wilful- 
ness, and to weakness rather than to wickedness. 
Those who have been guilty of sins of omission may 
have made many good resolutions; yea, may have 
made many weak attempts to carry them into effect. 
They may have made both resolutions and attempts, 
too, to do the contrary of their final acts. Their de- 
sires for evil may be far stronger than are all their 



THE OBJECTS 0\F CONVICTION 99 

volitions for good. So often when men commit sins 
of omission they do so because they are not able to 
carry out their good intentions, their will not being 
able to overcome their evil impulses. But those who 
are guilty of the sins of commission perform them 
because they are intelligently determined to do so. 
This shows in part why some men have deep and 
pungent feelings on account of their sins, while others 
have not. The first have wilfully resisted the Spirit, 
and wrought evil. They work evil because they prefer 
evil to good. They commit sin because they love sin, 
and hate righteousness ; they have no other excuse for 
their conduct. The other class of people have pur- 
posed no evil, as a rule. They have wrought neither 
much good nor much evil. In fact, they may have had 
many good intentions and purposes. But good inten- 
tions alone will never revolutionize the character. It 
takes purpose as well as impulses to move and make 
and mold a man. It is necessary to enlist the will as 
well as the affections to move and direct a man. Nev- 
ertheless good intentions, even though they fail of final 
fruitage, serve to palliate a guilty conscience in a sort 
of a way. As good intentions pacify the convictions 
of the soul for the performance of duty without its 
actual performance, so evil intentions, even when 
falling short of full execution, produce an affliction of 
soul very often quite similar to that caused by evil 
doing itself. 

Evil thoughts and purposes are sins, and must be 
forgiven. Simon Magus had not sinned in deed, but 
only in thought and purpose. — Acts 8 : 18-24. So also 
adulterous thoughts, covetousness and hatred are 



100 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

embryonic sins, and so must be forgiven. — Mat. 
5 : 21-32. In Africa, an ignorant heathen man became 
so afflicted over his sins that he had to apologize to 
Bishop William Taylor for even feeling hard toward 
him, although he had never done him any harm. I 
have heard of persons in this country who had to 
apologize to others for having hated them, without 
having done them wrong in fact. The truth is, the 
purpose itself is the sin. The act itself may never be 
executed, and if it were performed fully and com- 
pletely, it might never attain to any vicious or 
malicious end. But the wrong purpose is there still, 
and merits condemnation. Even the civil law has 
come to recognize that purpose is the very essence of 
a criminal act, and court decisions are based upon it. 
Killing is not always murder. It is not always mur- 
der when a man is incensed. It may be either man- 
slaughter, or mere accident, neither of which is inten- 
tional killing. On the other hand, a man's action may 
result in evil, and great evil, too, without any inten- 
tions of evil on his part. A thoughtless. word, or a 
careless deed, have often caused endless trouble be- 
tween people. Indeed some of the greatest dissensions 
have arisen from what was intended as a kindness, but 
was taken as an insult. The cartoons of "Happy 
Hooligan" are more than, a mere joke. Sometimes 
they are serious and sad facts. On the other hand, 
the blossoms of evil intentions do not always come to 
fruitage. A man may have attempted murder and not 
have succeeded, and might still remain malicious in his 
heart. In such case he is as guilty of murder as if it 
had been actually committed. In the former case a 



THE OBJECTS OF CONVICTION 101 

man is not guilty or blameworthy, except perchance 
it be in the case of criminal carelessness. In all of 
such instances, a man's own convictions or sense of 
duty, on the one hand, or his sense of delinquency and 
demerit, on the other, will approximate more or less 
closely, the ideal standard of right and wrong. More- 
over all of these things modify more or less, a man's 
sense of delinquency, and also the amount of his de- 
linquency. The degree of poignancy attending one's 
conviction will be in proportion to the lack of modify- 
ing elements or ameliorating circumstances in his con- 
ception. Men who have been actively and wilfully 
wicked, generally have more affliction of feelings than 
do the merely weak or passively wicked ; because they 
have been purposing against more adverse circum- 
stances. The principal causes of a wicked man's ac- 
tion are within himself; while the principal causes of 
a weak man's evil conduct are without himself. The 
former is an active agent, while the latter is mostly a 
passive instrument; and as every one knows an agent 
is held responsible far more than is any kind of an 
instrument, either voluntary or involuntary. 

III. The third object of conviction is sinfulness 
itself. When a man thoroughly considers his sins, 
he cannot fail to notice the source of his sins, either 
positively or permissively, which is his own sinful 
nature. There are two forms of conviction here. The 
first is a sense of obligation to perform known duty; 
and the second is a sense of delinquency following the 
neglect to perform known duty, and also a sense of 
inner repulsion to, or rejection of, duty. The first of 
these is always present in every rational man. No 



102 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

sane man ever gets beyond or away from a present 
sense of duty. The truth shall make us free, not from 
a sense of duty, but from a sense of sin, and of sinful- 
ness. When a man realizes the heinousness of actual 
sins, and their numerousness, and one's proneness to 
sin, he becomes more and more conscious of his own 
sinfulness, as a tendency of his own nature. 

Conviction as a sense of sinfulness takes on three 
forms. The first is a sense of need or want. Amanda 
Smith, the colored lady evangelist, said that her 
conviction for sanctification was not so much a sense 
of sinfulness, but a conviction of spiritual need merely. 
This is true of a great many persons. Many christians 
live so close to God, or keep the body of sin so thor- 
oughly suppressed, that they scarcely feel the motions 
of inbred sin. In such cases, they do not feel so much 
the need of the removal of the carnal mind, or the body 
of sin, as they realize the lack of proper enthusiasm 
and executive power in the performance of christian 
work, or the need of a settled determination for the 
eradication of an evil nature. This desire sometimes 
manifests itself as a great longing for a better chris- 
tian life, a hunger and thirst after righteousness, an 
unutterable eagerness for a holy and blameless life, 
and an insatiable yearning to be more useful to God 
and to humanity. This is a sure prophecy of the 
coming and fullness of the Spirit, and the demand for 
a soul-satisfying portion, which can never be found 
except in the abiding presence and power of the Holy 
Ghost. 

Another form in which the sense of sinfulness man- 
ifests itself is in the consciousness of the sinful condi- 



THE OBJECTS OF CONVICTION 103 

tion of the soul, and in a sense of its consequent de- 
merit. There is a feeling of condemnation that comes 
to men when they realize that they are not what they 
ought to be, either in ability or in character. When 
Isaiah beheld the spiritual condition and conduct of 
celestial beings, he was humiliated by a sense of his 
own shortcomings. Spontaneously he cried out, "woe 
is me, for I am undone, for I am a man of unclean 
lips." — Isa. 6 : 5. Peter felt the same way, when he 
saw the miraculous power of Christ evidenced by the 
great draft of fishes. He involuntarily cried out, 
"Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man." — 
Luke 5 : 8. Men instinctively seem to feel that the 
power to work miracles accompanies, or at least is 
dependent upon, a holy life. Moreover a manifesta- 
tion of the presence and power of God begets a deep 
sense of one's own sinfulness. When Job was arguing 
with his carping critics, his answers were tinged some- 
what with self-righteousness, so that he laid himself 
liable to the charge of Pharisaism. But when he was 
brought face to face with God, he felt and talked far 
different. When God spoke to him, Job did not try 
to argue the matter, or to justify himself, but humbly 
said, "Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I 
will lay my hand upon my mouth." — Job 40 :4. God 
convicts men of their great sinfulness by manifesting 
to them His own nature and character; by showing 
them the depth and breadth of His word; by letting 
the Spirit search the condition and contents of their 
heart and soul ; and by revealing to them both the 
secret and presumptuous sins in their lives. These 
two kinds of sin reveal more than anything else the 



104 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

real nature of men as to their moral character. Secret 
sins show very clearly the hidden state and love of 
the heart; on the other hand, presumptous sins reveal 
most clearly the wilfulness and stubbornness of the 
will, in determining to plunge on into sin, in spite of 
light, warning and restraint. Secret sins show that 
although men appear all right to the world, they are 
inwardly wicked and crooked, and love sin. Men 
guilty of secret sins while professing to be christians, 
are more anxious to appear right unto men than unto 
God. Such people are good on the outside, but vile 
and wicked on the inside. They try to please men 
more than they try to please God. They have a splen- 
did reputation, but a degenerate character. 

Still another form and evidence of the conviction 
of sinfulness is a sense of unfitness for the full re- 
quirements of God's law, and for the perfect perform- 
ance of christian duty. This takes one of two forms. 
Sometimes it is a feeling of a lack of goodness, and 
a full conformity to all the will of God ; and sometimes 
it is a consciousnes of one's inability, or a feeling of 
a lack of power for the performance of one or more 
duties. One does not feel that he is able to "run 
through a troop or leap over a wall." — II Sam. 22 : 30. 
This was probably what Paul meant when he said, 
"And who is sufficient for these things?" — II Cor. 
2 : 16. For even christians unsanctified often feel a 
lack of adequate power to meet all the emergencies 
of life. 

Most sinners with strong habits feel their inability 
to meet the grosser temptations of life, unless girded 
with a power beyond their own. The same is true 



THE OBJECTS OF CONVICTION 105 

of men in nearly every line of christian work. Moses 
pleaded that he lacked the eloquence and influence 
to cope with the court of Pharaoh. — Ex. 4:10f. The 
conscious lack of the presence and power of the 
Holy Spirit is responsible for the sense of the inability 
to do God's will. But the consciousness of actual sin, 
or of sinfulness, is responsible far more than is the 
lack of the abiding presence of the Spirit. Although 
Moses was a good man, and God's own choice as an 
ambassador to Pharaoh, he keenly felt his inability 
and unfitness when he received the Lord's command 
to reprove Pharaoh, and bring Israel out of Egypt. 
He said, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and 
that I should bring forth the children of Israel out 
of Egypt?"— Ex. 3:11. 

All of the disciples shrank before the task of 
evangelizing the world till they were filled with 
Spirit, and strengthened with might in the inner man. 
The fact is, some men who are filled with the Spirit 
still feel their unworthiness and unfitness to perform 
some of the high and holy functions of the christian 
ministry. Although Scripture says that John the 
Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth, 
he felt that he was neither fit to baptize Jesus Christ, 
nor to perform menial acts for Him. "I indeed bap- 
tize you with water unto repentance; but He that 
cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I 
am not worthy to bear." — Mat. 3 : 11. So it is seen 
that even the best of men often feel a sense of their 
unworthiness. Yet God commands them in spite of 
their unworthiness to be and do good. The fact is, 
this feeling of unworthiness is an evidence that a man 



106 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

is where God wants him to be, especially in humility. 
For God cannot use a man when he becomes exalted 
and self-righteous. And when humble men lose their 
humility, and when faithful men forsake their obedi- 
ence, God casts them off, and refuses to use them 
any longer. When Jesus came to be baptized, "John 
forbade Him saying, I have need to be baptized of 
Thee, and comest Thou to me?" Moreover sinners 
feel the same toward Christ. The centurion at Caper- 
naum desired to have his servant healed. He intro- 
duced his prayer with a confession of unworthiness, 
and declared, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou 
shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word 
only, and my servant shall be healed." — Mat. 8 : 8. But 
Christ commended this spirit of humility very highly. 
God "resists the proud, but gives grace unto the 
humble." 

This suggests two other points. This feeling of 
unworthiness usually takes one of two forms. One 
manifests itself when God wants a man or a woman to 
do something for Him ; and they feel that they are 
unable to do justice to the task. Therefore they 
shrink from the task, possibly on account of its great- 
ness; and possibly on account of a feeling of insuf- 
ficiency of the strength of man to perform it well. 
Men often feel that they are insufficient to do for 
others in position what ought to be done, or do it 
well enough for them. The second form is, when God 
wants to do something for a man, and the man him- 
self would like to have it done, too. Yet in spite of a 
man's eagerness to have God work His righteous will 
in him, and for him, he does not feel worthy to receive 



THE OBJECTS OF CONVICTION 107 

what he wants or what God wants to give him, and 
has promised to him. So he fears that God will not 
do it for him on account of his unfitness. This varies 
also. Sometimes it takes the form of a feeling of un- 
worthiness to receive what God might do for him. 
He almost rejects the favor of God. Some such men 
have rejected what God has promised them. Men 
have been heard to declare that they would not re- 
pent on their dying bed and offer God the fag-end of 
a misspent life. But suing for mercy at the last hour 
honors God with humility and a recognition of His 
sovereign rights. Others have such a sense of their 
own unworthiness, that they feel that they do not de- 
serve what God has already done for them. To con- 
trast these sentiments more fully and clearly : One is 
a feeling that a man is unworthy to do anything for 
God ; and the other is a feeling that one is unworthy 
of having God do anything for Him. 



CHAPTER VII. 
The Offices of Conviction. 

THE great object of every part of the work of re- 
demption is to save men from sin. To do this 
they must be made to see and feel the heinous- 
ness of sin, that they may become unalterably opposed 
to it. There are three different works, which mark the 
three different phases and degrees of God's work for us, 
in turning the tide of our nature against sin. They are 
conviction, regeneration and sanctification. The first 
work is upon the intellect ; the second upon the will ; 
and the third upon the affections. The work of re- 
demption begins with the mind, for no one' can be- 
come redeemed till he has proper conceptions of sin 
and of righteousness. — John 16 : 7-11. "As a man 
thinketh in his heart so is he." — Prov. 23 : 7. 

Conviction causes within us not only a sense of 
our duty but also a repulsion toward sin. This is em- 
phasized by that affliction and misery of soul resulting 
from rebellion against duty, and reproofs of the word 
and Holy Spirit. In one sense conviction is a work of 
grace, but in another it is not. It is a work upon the 
mind, and not upon the soul. It is almost wholly. a 
mental state, and does not necessarily affect the heart 
at all. Conviction is the combined work of the truth 
and the Spirit upon the mind. Conviction is for the 
purpose of awakening and correcting men's views upon 
religious subjects, more particularly upon the subject 

108 



THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 109 

of sin and righteousness ; not so much as to notions 
one has upon these subjects, but as to the attitude of 
the mind toward them. Conviction is the effort of 
the Spirit through the truth to properly adjust the 
mind of man toward God, truth and righteousness. 

Regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit in 
the soul of man to enthrone the will over the moral 
nature of man, so as to give the soul complete ascend- 
ency and dominion over the whole man. Regeneration 
increases the tide of man's nature against sin and 
toward righteousness, by implanting in the heart new 
purposes and desires toward righteousness, besides 
breaking the . dominion of the desires toward evil. 
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." 
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the 
world." — I John 3:9; 5:4. Of course regeneration 
gives a man new views of life, and also changes his 
affections more or less ; but the greatest part of the 
work is upon the will. 

Sanctification eradicates wrong affections from 
man's nature, and implants good affections which are 
not present, and strengthens those which are. Sanc- 
tification purifies and enlists the affections with the 
will in its movement toward moral transformation. 
Sanctification still further swells the current of right- 
eous feelings and purposes, and a holy hatred toward 
sin ; it also removes all secret inclinations of our 
hearts toward the world. Regeneration works mostly 
upon the will ; but sanctification upon the heart. 

I. There are several reasons why conviction is 
needed and required in every one who begins the chris- 
tian life. In the first place, should one be led by feelings 



110 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

only, all of his conduct would be the result of his im- 
pulses. There is but little moral quality in merely fol- 
lowing our feelings. For nearly all people do what they 
like to do, no matter whether they are christians or not. 
A man has to do more than that to show that he is 
a christian. "Do not even the publicans the same?" — 
Mat. 5 : 46. Then moral feelings are fluctuating, as 
well as are other kinds of feelings. One day it would 
be one thing, and the next day it would be something 
else. Emotions are moved, and moved more or less 
by environment. Then if moral action were based 
upon feelings only, that would put the moving and 
molding influence and the springs of moral action over 
and around us, instead of within us. And so in that 
case, we would be entirely at the mercy of our environ- 
ment. Furthermore, under the influence of the world 
and the devil, the major portion of our impulses would 
be very liable to be on the wrong side of moral ques- 
tions. It takes something more than fitful fickle feel- 
ings to direct and sustain the moral conduct of man- 
kind. 

In the second place, if one were moved and directed 
by will alone, all of his actions would be characterized 
by a coldness, and apparent selfishness and indiffer- 
ence. There will be no particular attraction in the 
conduct ; for the will alone never attracts. But it may 
and does subdue. The action of the will alone is seen 
in senseless stubbornness and contrariness; where it 
is nearly always repulsive. Then mere will-worship 
is opposed in Col. 2 : 23. Will-worship does not enlist 
the heart. So it does not fulfill that supreme com- 
mand, "to love the Lord with all thy heart." Will wor- 



THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 111 

ship is mere formality. And formal religion always 
lacks soul. The truth is, mere formality kills vital 
religion. Emotion gives it life and soul. As Christ 
and his apostles magnified love, so much did they 
magnify the emotions. 

In the third place, intellect alone is discounted in 
I Cor. 1-3. Right religion renovates the threefold 
nature of man. God appeals to all three natures of 
man. No one of them is neglected or discounted. 
Sentiment and intelligence attract each in its own way 
and degree to different people. Emotion attracts pro- 
vided it is directed by intellect, and controlled by will. 
Without proper direction and control, emotion is not 
attractive ; yea, even love itself is not only not attrac- 
tive, but may be positively repulsive. We have a 
good example of this in the soft sentimental love of 
the senseless and silly. This necessary direction and 
control of the emotions are dependent upon the con- 
victions. Without definite settled convictions there 
is but little if any of either direction or control. So 
then clear and settled convictions secure for moral 
conduct certainty, precision and attraction. 

Christ likened those who were led solely by their 
impulses to the seeds which fell upon the stony ground, 
and which forthwith sprang up because they had no 
deepness of earth. — Mat. 13 : 5. These receive the 
word with joy; but they fall away as easily as they 
repent, and almost as quickly. Feelings are both 
variable and fleeting; and whatever depends upon them 
are just as variable and fleeting as they are. — Mat. 
13 : 20f. Emotional people are usually fickle, and 
fickle people are always emotional. But Bible convic- 



112 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

tion tends to enlist all of a man's being. This secures 
precision and attraction, certainty and momentum to 
all moral conduct. 

II. There is another reason for the importance 
which conviction plays in the christian life. It is God's 
purpose and plan to have our whole nature set against 
sin, just as He desires us to love Him with all our 
hearts. He requires us "to abhor that which is evil, 
and cleave to that which is good." — Rom. 12 : 9. 
Thorough conviction combines the sense of the un- 
righteousness of all wrong, and a feeling of hatred 
which men ought to .have toward it. If conviction is 
acted upon, it will lead to thorough repentance, and 
to complete loyalty to God. And that is why so many 
christians who were formerly the most grievous sin- 
ners become the most faithful and devoted christians. 
Pungent conviction and oppressive affliction have 
burned out all desires for the fleshpots of Egypt, 
which had formerly possessed their hearts. It is not 
that conviction performs a work of grace in their souls ; 
but the bitter fruits of sin, as well as a sense of the 
heinousness of sin, thoroughly sicken the soul of sin. 

The Lord does not want us to have confused con- 
ceptions of right and wrong. For the lack of clear and 
settled convictions of right and wrong render people 
liable to be "tossed to and fro, and carried about with 
every wind of doctrine." — Eph. 4 : 14. This condition 
of intellectual and moral uncertainty also renders them 
more liable to the temptations of Satan. For many 
of the temptations of men are due to their ignorance 
of the plain teachings of the Scriptures, of the general 
principles of righteousness, and of their personal re- 



THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 113 

lations and obligations. We must never make the 
mistake of supposing that sufficient and proper instruc- 
tion will remove all difficulties and temptations. For 
it will never do it. But it will remove many of them. 
On the other hand, proper knowledge and instruction, 
instead of removing all temptations, occasionally be- 
comes of itself a source of temptation. Paul said, 
"Love edifieth, (or buildeth up), but knowledge puff- 
eth up." — I Cor. 8:1. So knowledge itself becomes 
a source of pride, against which Paul warns the Cor- 
inthian brethren. 

Then the desire for knowledge may become a 
source of temptation. It leads some to make needless 
sacrifices and questionable experiments, to gain knowl- 
edge. The Serpent tempted Eve by making her be- 
lieve that she did not understand the nature of God, 
or the actual result of eating of the fruit of the tree of 
the knowledge of good and evil. She did not yield to 
the temptation to eat of the forbidden fruit until she 
was persuaded to believe that what God had said in 
regard to the consequences of such disobedience, was 
entirely wrong. This implied either that God did 
not understand, or that He wilfully misrepresented 
the facts to Adam and Eve. Hosea echoed the same 
truth, when he said, "My people are destroyed for lack 
of knowledge. " — 4 : 6 So some temptations are due to 
ignorance, and some are due to knowledge. 

Real knowledge of sin begets a hatred of sin. 
"Vice is a monster of such frightful mien, that to be 
hated needs but to be seen." Some learn to detest it 
most heartily, when they see the awful ravages and 
results of sin. Many have seen and felt the results of 



114 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

sin who have not been guilty of the kind of sin that 
they most hate. The inmates of a drunkard's home 
most cordially hate liquor, and yet many of them have 
never touched the accursed stuff. This is a conviction 
that comes from observation, and is purely derived 
from a judgment formed from what one has suffered 
not in soul, but in body and mind. The drunkard 
himself suffers from the direct effects of whisky, and 
his family from the indirect effects. The drunkard 
suffers in body, mind and soul ; while the family suffer 
in body and mind. The drunkard suffers in conscience ; 
the other in mental anxiety, hunger, cold and bruises. 
When one suffers from the pains and pangs of a 
guilty conscience, or in body or mind from the results 
of their own sins, the form of their conviction is quite 
different from that derived from observing the sins of 
other people, or suffering indirectly from sin. 

III. It is not enough to turn from wicked ways. 
Respectable sinners may do that, and still be as wicked 
in heart as ever. The fact is, respectable sinners are 
the most hard-hearted ones. To preserve respecta- 
bility a man must refrain from the coarser sins. And 
the respectable man feels that he deserves large credit 
for conquering his worst temptations. He does not 
realize that it is pride that inspired his respectability, 
and not his desire for righteousness ; and that the dif- 
ference he makes in his sins shows that he is trying to 
please men rather than God. For when a man loves 
God and righteousness, there is no difference in sins 
to him then. The unrighteous man must forsake his 
thoughts. In his unregenerate state, man rolls sin as 
a sweet morsel under his tongue till it be found hateful 



THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 115 

in his sight. Most sins are sweet and dear to the men 
who practice them. They must not only be led to 
quit sin, they must be made to hate it, and to hate it 
so much, that they will forever cease to desire it. 
There are three ways in which this may be done. The 
first is the results of sin, making men sick of it. The 
bitter experiences of men with sin here in this world, 
and the awful retribution which it brings, sometimes 
makes men hate it most cordially. When the prodigal 
son realized that he was "down and out," he knew for 
himself that "the way of the transgressor is hard." — 
Prov. 13 : 15. The fear of coming judgment and the 
righteous wrath of God may and often does cause one 
to flee from sin to escape from coming retribution. 
But God tries to hasten and emphasize our aversion 
to sin by making us realize its exceeding sinfulness. 
This He does by sending the Spirit to apply the word 
to our hearts with such force, pertinency and pungency 
that we may see not only the righeousness of the 
divine law, but also our great lack of conformity 
thereto. Severe and pungent conviction does both of 
these for us. It is God's desire, purpose and effort to 
cure us forever of all our hankering after evil, and to 
break us completely of the sinning habit. The stronger 
and more pungent our convictions are, the more thor- 
oughly will this be done. So conviction is one of the 
most important works that God does for man in wean- 
ing him from sin. Thorough reformation is not com- 
plete without it. 

IV. Some people expect too much of conviction, 
or at least attribute too much to it. While conviction 
is a part of the process of salvation, it is not salvation 



116 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

itself, and especially it is not salvation from sin. But 
conviction is redemption from the insensibility or our 
unconsciousness of sin and its sinfulness. Some short- 
sighted people have said that if a person has old-time 
Bible conviction, he will quit the sinning business. 
That is never strictly true. It may be partially true, 
or it may not. Such people also sometimes teach that 
if a man is not entirely sanctified he cannot cease from 
all sin. They never seem to think of the inconsistency 
between their two statements. Their statement not 
only makes conviction a state of grace, but makes it a 
state of grace higher than that of regeneration. Their 
statement implies that if a man has real conviction he 
will quit all sin ; but if he is regenerated he cannot, or 
at least will not, cease from sin. One might wonder 
what regeneration does for a man if it does not help 
him more than conviction. They seem to fail to rec- 
ognize the fact that conviction is a condition of the 
mind rather than a state of grace in the heart. So it 
is easily seen by any thoughtful person that confusion 
as to conviction will necessarily cause confusion as to 
regeneration and sanctification, too. 

In the first place, in the strictest sense of the word, 
conviction is not a state of grace, or a spiritual state at 
all. It is almost purely a mental state. It may con- 
sist with or without any religious desires, or with or 
without any moral purpose, or with or without any 
change of heart, or state of grace. The truth is, it 
may exist with any phase or degree of either penitence 
or impenitence ; with any state of grace or with no state 
of grace. It not only may do so ; it has often done so ; it 
is so recorded in both sacred and profane writings. 



THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 117 

In the second place, some persons under real Bible 
conviction, so named or rather described in the Scrip- 
tures, have repented while others have not. Inspira- 
tion records that when Peter's sermon was preached 
on the day of Pentecost, his hearers "were pricked in 
their heart." — Acts 2 : 37. The word says that some, 
as many as gladly received the word, were baptized 
and added to the Church. There were tens of thou- 
sands of Jews in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, 
but only three thousand of them accepted Christ. All 
of them knew about this ; many more of them heard 
the word itself, but did not accept it. Scripture does 
not say that all that heard the word were cut to the 
heart. Neither does it say that all that heard the word 
were baptized ; but they that received the word gladly 
were baptized. The form of the statement indicates 
that some of them that heard the word did not hear it 
gladly, neither were baptized. 

After the apostles had been imprisoned, and then 
released by an angel, they were arrested and brought 
before the council, where they preached a sermon 
on free speech, and obedience to God. The narrative 
says that when the councillors heard the defense of 
the apostles, "they were cut to the heart." But they 
did not repent. On the contrary, "they took counsel 
to slay them." — Acts 5 : 33. It took an eloquent and 
forcible speech on the part of Gamaliel, to secure for 
the apostles even a temporary respite from persecu- 
tion. And this respite was only temporary. When 
this same council heard the defense of Stephen, 
which was nothing more than a strong gospel ser- 
mon, "they were cut to the heart" again. Although 



118 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

they could not gainsay his arguments, and were cut 
to the heart, this pungent conviction did not lead 
them to repentance at all. It rather made them the 
more determined in their impenitence. For the very 
same verse that describes their pungent conviction, 
also says, "they gnashed upon him with their teeth/' 
— Acts 7 : 54. Here in the very beginning of the 
Pentecostal dispensation, were recorded three in- 
stances of old-time Bible conviction, which are un- 
doubted, expressed in almost the same terms, which 
shows that each of these cases was thorough and 
pungent. All were extreme cases. None of them 
were moderate or superficial. Each instance was 
caused by the preaching of the word by the apostles 
or early disciples. In each case the word was accom- 
panied by the unction and power of the Holy Ghost. 
In each case the men saw themselves in the light of 
God's truth. In each case they were cut to the 
heart. And yet in only one case did the hearers re- 
pent, and not all of them. This shows that those 
fanatics who make such extreme statements have the 
recorded facts of Scripture against them in the ratio 
of two to one. Conviction may always be resisted; 
yea, it very frequently is resisted, and that very ef- 
fectively, too. 

In the third place, most men who have rejected 
the call of God, resisted the Holy Ghost, and refused 
to come to Christ, have usually resisted more convic- 
tion than that under which most christians have ac- 
cepted Christ. Just mark those in every revival 
meeting who have suffered the most poignant con- 
victions. They are usually not those who have ac- 



THE OFFICES OF CONVICTION 119 

cepted Christ, but* those who have rejected Him. 
This leaves them without any excuse. There is reason 
for the greater conviction on the part of those who 
resist the truth. It is very much like fighting a por- 
cupine. The more one fights, the more he gets 
wounded. When a man resists the arrows of convic- 
tion, the more the arrows are thrust into him. That 
was Paul's experience. So the Lord warned him 
against kicking against the pricks. The more he re- 
sisted the more he suffered. Peace of mind and soul 
is found in humble submission to the divine require- 
ments. , I 

These extreme views are usually held by those 
who desire to humble and bring under conviction 
those who disagree with them in doctrine or practice. 
This inclines them to set up a standard higher than 
or different from the Bible. When they recognize 
the fact that some people live up to the Bible standard, 
and said fanatics still want to bring them under con- 
viction, they recognize the fact that they must set 
a standard higher than the Bible, or different from it. 
So it is easy to see that it springs from a desire to 
discount others disliked or feared. It springs from 
hate and not from love, and shows a desire to exalt 
self and not Christ. But it makes upon a great many 
persons whose thinking is superficial an impression of 
superior piety, whereas it is simply a cloak for con- 
cealing hypocrisy and malice. It is unjust to make 
attacks upon persons who are living good moral, and 
possibly earnest christian lives above reproach, just 
to bring them under conviction, or into subjection to 
others. They have been known to discount the 



120 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

blameless and at the same time to -uphold and defend 
those who were living lives of sin, just because such 
persons agreed with themselves. 

They follow such a course for several reasons. 
The first reason is that they may defeat somebody 
who disagrees with them, or those whom they are 
unable to convince in argument. This is an easy way 
to denounce those whom one does not like, and fails 
to influence in any other way. The second object is 
to bring to the altar those who profess to be christians, 
but have been converted under the ministry of some 
other evangelist or preacher, or belong to some other 
church. If they can succeed, it is considered to be a 
feather in their cap. Third, they desire to win or 
discount everybody who disagrees with them in doc- 
trine, practice or profession. Such have an itching 
desire to have every one seek either pardon or purity 
in their meetings, who does not agree with them or 
conform to their standards. Such people usually have 
a spirit of vain glory, in leading people of different 
views, or of different denominations to seek a re- 
ligious experience at their altars or in their revival 
meetings. It all springs from a love of self instead 
of a love of the souls of others. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
The Manifestations of Conviction. 

EVERY manifestation of religion is due either to 
feeling or purpose. And every religious 
thought and feeling has a manifestation pecu- 
liar to itself. As every sound produces a different 
vibration of the atmosphere, so every wave of thought 
and feeling has a method all its own by which it re- 
ports itself to the world. Conviction is no exception 
to the general rule. But the different forms and de- 
grees of conviction have different forms of manifes- 
tation. Chronologically conviction is the first of all 
religious emotions. While most of the manifestations 
of conviction are purely natural and involuntary, 
much of its manifestation is voluntary and studied. 
This is especially the case when one is hesitating about 
acting upon its requirements, or is rejecting it, or 
resisting it. The soul that is under conviction assumes 
three or four different attitudes toward the truth, 
varying according to its own nature, and according to 
the environment and associations of the convicted one. 
The first two classes are those which are the di- 
rect opposites of each other. These are the class of 
those who are seeking the truth, and that of those 
rejecting or resisting it. Then between these two ex- 
tremes there are two classes which are very similar 
to each other. These classes are those who are hes- 
itating about accepting the truth, and those who are 

121 



122 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

simply open to the truth, and are neither seeking nor 
rejecting it, but will receive whatever is given. There 
are some who are glad and willing to hear the truth; 
but they do not care for the truth to benefit their own 
souls. They want to know the truth for the sake of 
knowledge, and not for the sake of righteousness or 
usefulness. 

I. The attitude which a seeking soul under con- 
viction assumes toward the truth depends very much 
upon the degree of conviction, personal temperament, 
previous life, and present environment. As all of 
these vary in every soul, so their manifestations vary 
accordingly and correspondingly. Part of the varia- 
tion depends upon one's nature and disposition; and 
part upon the influences forced upon it from without. 

1. The first attitude of an honest soul seeking the 
truth is generally that of sobriety and thoughtfulness. 
Thoughtfulness and deliberation are not only the 
attitudes of one seeking the truth; they are the prin- 
cipal means of attaining the truth. And the lack of 
proper consideration is responsible for so much want 
of serious purpose and righteousness. Isaiah could 
not account for the foolish headlong sinfulness of his 
people except by supposing they "did not consider." — 
Isa. 1 : 3. Their first step toward reformation would 
be serious consideration. Isaiah calls a halt to their 
reckless rush toward evil by exhorting, "Come now, 
let us reason together." — 1 : 8. Proper consideration 
will cause many a man to wake up to his present spir- 
itual condition and to his future retribution. When 
the prodigal came to himself in his mad career, he 
of his own accord resolved upon repentance and refor- 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 123 

mation. He needed no admonition nor exhortation, 
and received none. Several times Haggai exhorted 
the Jews to "consider your ways." — 1:5, 7; 2:15, 18. 
Proper thinking, especially if from a right purpose, 
is very apt to produce right acting. This thoughtful- 
ness springs from some conviction, and brings more. 
Deliberation upon religious themes will manifest itself 
in several ways. The Scriptures mention several 
ways in which religious meditation reports itself to 
the world. These are silence and thoughtfulness on 
the one hand, and at other times and on the other 
hand, inquisitiveness and a disposition to talk upon 
religious subjects. 

Meditation is not only an occasional cause of con- 
viction; it is also a usual result and accompaniment. 
This will cause a searching of the Scriptures, a review 
of one's past life, a pondering of one's present course, 
and a recollection and application of many truths pre- 
viously read and heard. Meditation as a means of 
moral adjustment is so often overlooked and neg- 
lected. The Psalmist said very appropriately, "I 
thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy 
testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep 
thy commandments." — Ps. 119 : 59f. If any one can 
be persuaded to stop and meditate upon his ways, 
his repentance and reformation are almost assured. 
For this reason, some evangelists persuade sinners 
whom they wish to win, to read the Bible or some 
other good book, and to consider the subject of per- 
sonal responsibility. 

Sometimes the newly awakened soul seeking light 
and salvation will observe a profound and sacred 



124 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

silence. This attitude or manner usually marks the 
exceedingly meditative man, and sometimes the stolid, 
stubborn man deeply impressed with his own exceed- 
ing sinfulness, but who is not yet fully seeking the 
Lord. Silence is very often one of the signs of serious 
thoughtfulness. The man who is greatly absorbed in 
his own moral problems is more than likely to be very 
quiet and uncommunicative. It is also true of many 
under conviction. 

At some stage in the process of seeking salvation, 
the soul will not only search for truth for its own 
benefit, but will also seek the assistance of such 
others as he thinks have sought and found either truth 
or experience. Every seeker after truth or the chris- 
tian life is naturally in an inquiring mood. And in- 
quisitiveness often follows thoughtfulness. Nico- 
demus did as most men would do under new religious 
impressions. He made inquiry of one who he thought 
was a competent and authoritative teacher. The 
penitents of Pentecost and the Philippian jailer made 
no forced or merely deliberate inquiries ; they simply 
followed the impulses of newly awakened souls. Severe 
and pungent conviction usually presses inquiries as 
well as prayer from the seeking soul. The penitents 
of Pentecost and the Philippian jailer were not the 
only ones who inquired the way of salvation. Multi- 
tudes and millions have done so since their day, and 
numbers did before them. — Acts 2:37; 16:30. 

In most convicted or . penitent souls there is at 
some time or other a disposition to talk upon religious 
subjects with some one, preferably with an intimate 
friend. Most penitents will discuss their religious 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 125 

difficulties with an intimate friend in whose religious 
integrity, wisdom and experience they have confidence. 
While some penitents prefer to discuss their obstacles 
and difficulties with an intimate friend or acquaint- 
ance, others are shy of them, and prefer to make con- 
fidants of absolute strangers. This depends upon 
their disposition and the state of their case, and the 
probable treatment which they expect from their 
friends and acquaintances. If they doubt the probity 
of their friends, or their judgment or mercy, they will 
very likely prefer a stranger to an acquaintance. For 
they fear the prejudices of mere acquaintances. Some 
convicted people do not desire to make confidants of 
old acquaintances, who they fear will reveal their con- 
fidences, or make stock of their confessions. Too often 
such fears and prejudices are well-founded. For so 
many people are very much lacking in a sense of honor 
as to keeping confidences. Some have the littleness 
to boast of the sacred confidences communicated to 
them to show the estimation in which they are held. 
But their very boast and betrayal only reveal their 
unworthiness of confidence. Such people are not fit 
to deal with seeking souls at any stage of their inquiry. 
Many a person when made aware of such betrayal has 
been driven back into skepticism, distrust and disgust. 
One young man under deep conviction utterly refused 
to come to the altar when urged to do so by another 
young man. He afterward acknowledged that he 
wanted to become a christian, but declared that he 
would not come to the altar when that young man 
asked him to do so, for he would tell it all over town 
the next day. 



136 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

When burdened with a keen sense of sinfulness 
and guilt, men have been known to rise in the night, 
and seek some minister or christian friend for comfort 
or counsel, or both; and to ask for prayer for their 
own salvation. Very often men interested in reli- 
gious subjects will open up the discussion of spiritual 
things in a general sort of a way, without mentioning 
their own feelings or interest in religious teachings. 
This is usually done for one of two reasons. One 
reason is because they think they can get a more un- 
biassed view to leave their own case out of account. 
The other reason is some men do not care to reveal the 
state of their own mind in regard to religious things 
on account of pride or self-interest. Then penitents 
sometimes fear lest the world should take advantage 
of them should it know of their penitence, and should 
make stock of them and their sad case. 

2. When there is a consciousness of having com- 
mitted some great wrong, or of having lived a very 
sinful life, or when there is a fear of soon having to 
suffer for one's sins, either here or hereafter, convic- 
tion may manifest itself in fear and trembling. The 
fact is, this form of conviction usually arises from the 
anticipation of coming retribution either from men 
or from God. The Philippian jailer evidently felt that 
a great wrong had been done to Paul and Silas. His 
course toward them after he was awakened religiously, 
indicated that very clearly. The significance of this 
conviction was emphasized by the fact that the jailer 
was not the principal actor in this tragic crime, but 
only an accomplice. That is not all. His official posi- 
tion was such that he was almost compelled to play 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 127 

the part which he did. He was an almost helpless tool, 
and not a voluntary agent. But neither political nor 
social, neither business nor religious relations, make 
sin, crime or injustice excusable. If it did, his con- 
viction would not have been so pungent. Neverthe- 
less his participation in this act of injustice condemned 
his soul for even permitting the incarceration of the 
innocent. God holds us responsible, not only for all 
the sins which we commit, but also for many, if not 
for all, which we could prevent others from commit- 
ting. Felix realized only too painfully that he had 
violated the two great principles of Paul's sermon, 
rightousness and temperance, and was almost sure to 
suffer from the judgment to come. That was the 
reason he trembled. But trembling does not signify 
repentance. For the devils also tremble as well as do 
penitents. 

Sometimes great fear comes from the fact that one 
has sinned against great light in the form of strong 
gospel preaching, and a former very high or bright 
religious experience, and especially the latter. It 
frequently occurs that when one has had a very bright 
religious experience, that fact and also the fact of his 
having preached straight to others in former times 
reverberates through his conscience, and causes him 
to tremble. It is usually very easy to bring those who 
have had very bright religious experiences under 
strong convictions. The convictions of such are not 
only a consciousness of moral obligation, but also the 
painful sense of dereliction. 

3. When a soul has long been in the throes of 
doubt and despair, or has long been yearning for a 



138 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

better life, or has become thoroughly sick of sin, it 
eagerly grasps at any religious truth presented that 
promises hope or help. Like the proverb that a drown- 
ing man will grasp at a straw, so will a despairing 
soul under conviction grasp at anything that will offer 
the faintest hope of escape from the thraldom and the 
condemnation of sin. Sometimes these preceding 
conditions may exist without much particular sense, 
of the soul's obligation to God. The heathen, op- 
pressed with a sense of his own weakness and need, 
or suffering from the indulgence of his own ap- 
petites and passions, or from sensual dissipation, the 
gratification of which he fancies his own heathen god, 
not only does not condemn, but even favors and ap- 
proves, even if he does not command, gladly seeks re- 
lief when it is offered. After long struggling with 
habits which he has been taught to tolerate, and even 
indulge, but has found to be injurious, he earnestly 
desires deliverance therefrom. When dreading the 
doom of dark despair of ever gaining deliverance from 
his bondage to evil habits, the gospel of the grace of 
God comes as a balm to his suffering sinful soul. This 
is the reason why so many heathen, and some who are 
strangers to the grace of God in nominal christian 
lands, receive the gospel so eagerly and gladly when 
it is first presented. 

As a rule, those who have heard the gospel con- 
tinuously or repeatedly without accepting it, rarely 
ever receive it with joy when they do accept. Such 
generally yield slowly and with great reluctance when 
they do yield. For continued or repeated resistence 
hardens the heart. But intelligent and Willing yield- 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 129 

ing at any time will soften it. The shallow and the 
fickle represented by the stony-ground hearers re- 
ceive the gospel with joy. The penitents of Pentecost 
received the word gladly when it was given with new 
light, life and power. Many of the hearers at that 
feast were there for the purpose of seeking new light 
and life. This brings forward another fact, and that 
is, when any man or woman is seeking new light, life, 
experience or power, they welcome anything that 
seems to promise help to either mind or soul. This 
class may have frequently heard before, and may have 
been seeking long before, or may have resisted before, 
but now their whole purpose and attitude toward 
righteousness is changed, and they receive with glad- 
ness what they formerly rejected. 

II. The next class is that of those who resist con- 
viction. Those who resist conviction usually try to 
hide it. Most men, and probably all, who resist con- 
viction, do not care to have the world know that they 
are resisting convictions for sin, or that they have any 
such convictions. The manner in which they resist 
convictions depends for the most part upon the same 
conditions which make or mold the manifestations of 
the truth-seekers. These same conditions will induce 
the same kind of manifestations in some instances, and 
very different in others. Personal pride will seek to 
crush all outward manifestations of conviction, or at 
least divert attention from it, no matter whether the 
subject is seeking or rejecting. There are numbers of 
persons who will seek the Lord secretly, and try to 
hide their feelings and interest from everybody, even 
from their dearest friends. 



130 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

1. The first class of those who resist conviction is 
that of those who simply try to throw off the influence 
for the time being, generally because they are not yet 
ready to surrender. They are not hostile to truth as 
truth. In fact they expect to accept it sometime, but 
not now. Their mind is fully made up to two things. 
One thing is that they fully intend to accept the truth 
sometime; and the other is that they do not intend 
to accept it now. They do not oppose those who de- 
sire to receive the truth now or at any other time. 
They may even encourage those who desire to re- 
ceive the truth at the present. Such often show a 
noble spirit in every way except in their present re- 
jection of truth. But as for themselves, their present 
purpose and effort is to divert their own mind, and 
at the same time to parry the blows, thwart the pur- 
poses, and divert the attention of others, who are in- 
terested in their religious welfare. 

To attain this end, some will assume an air of 
gayety and frivolity. Persons thoughtful, well-be- 
haved and steady at other times, will act very silly 
and appear perfectly giddy, when resisting the sense 
of their obligation to God and when trying to divert 
public attention from their own mental and moral 
state. There are two reasons for this. One is for 
the purpose of throwing off the influence of divine 
truth upon their consciences, which oppresses, em- 
barrasses, and annoys them. Another reason is their 
desire to conceal this embarrassment, and their sense 
of sin from others. So such people under conviction 
usually act the very opposite of the way they feel, or 
at least try to do so. Nevertheless this very attempt 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 131 

to act differently clearly advertises their own mental 
state to those who know and understand. For a man 
under no particular conviction does not feel any 
necessity to act differently. Their endeavor to appear 
and act differently does not prevent the truth from 
having its intended power over such. Indeed truth 
sometimes has more influence when it is resisted than 
when it is accepted. Resistance to truth often makes it 
more impressive to the one who resists it. For that 
reason one can often impress an enemy with his in- 
tegrity more than he can his friend. The friend ex- 
pects good conduct, but the enemy does not, and so 
it means more to him. 

There is another class of persons, who from a 
sense of honesty or for other reasons, would not act 
contrary to their feelings to deceive others, but would 
merely freeze and choke their religious feelings. These 
people assume an air of stoical indifference. Their aim 
and effort are not so much to disguise their feelings 
as it is to feel as they want to appear. They are too 
honest and sober-minded to act contrary to their feel- 
ings. But they do try to act indifferently, and try to 
feel likewise. Felix was just trying to divert public 
attention and conceal his own anxiety. The Athenians 
manifested an indifference concerning the doctrine of 
Christ and His resurrection. They had a curiosity to 
know the truth. Yet they feared its influence and 
obligations. These reasons prompted their proposal 
of the postponement of the present discussion. They 
were very polite about it. They would not openly 
reject the truth. They would just quietly ignore it. 
Their postponement was in reality an evasion of the 



132 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

question in a polite way. Their aim was to show a 
seeming courtesy, and at the same time get rid of 
hearing embarrassing addresses without offending the 
speaker. 

2. The opposition to the truth and right by the 
second great class of those hostile to the truth is more 
pronounced than the first. They hate the truth, its ex- 
ponents and expounders. Their hatred may be 
prompted by a personal pride, self-interest, self-right- 
eousness, or by a sense of their own sinfulness, and 
its consequent demerits. The scribes and the Pharisees 
were bitter against Christ and His truth. His own 
pure life and clean-cut truth revealed their innate 
wickedness. The world saw only their words and 
outward actions. Christ saw their inner life and spirit, 
and discovered it to the world. This piqued their 
pride and vanity, and angered them. For they saw 
that He knew their hearts, and they feared that others 
would see what He saw, or would discern it through 
His accurate and incisive delineation of crooked char- 
acter. 

It is easier to hinder or injure the expounder of 
the truth than it is to hurt or hinder the truth itself. 
Moreover an evil-doer always hates the truth-teller 
more than he does the truth. Truth stated is only 
truth in the abstract ; while truth embodied in a good 
life is truth in a concrete form. Abstract truth cannot 
think, feel or suffer; its exponents and expounders 
can do all of them. The enemies of Christ ceased to 
oppose His truth and doctrine, but continued to seek 
His life. They soon saw their inability to disprove 
His truth or to stop its onward march. At the last, 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 133 

their only answer to His questions and arguments was 
a jibe or a sneer. They would not accept His message. 
They could not answer its argument. But they saw 
that they could stop its messenger. 

The persecutors of Stephen were vexed at his 
manifest superiority to them in life, doctrine and abil- 
ity as an exponent and expounder of divine truth. 
They were not able to gainsay nor resist his wise 
answers to their queries and sophistries. As is always 
the case, when malicious men see no hope of defeat- 
ing their opponent in argument, they begin to seek to 
injure their opponent either politically, ecclesiastically 
or physically. They killed both Stephen and Christ 
both ecclesiastically and physically. But they failed 
to kill their influence. Sometimes such persecution 
increases rather than kills or even decreases the in- 
fluence of the innocent victims of the unrighteous 
wrath of wicked men. But all this wicked manifesta- 
tion of their malice only made more manifest their 
own wickedness, and their resistance to truth. 

3. The class of people just discussed is not only 
hostile to the truth, but pugnacious. The class now 
to be considered is also hostile, but not so pugnacious. 
These opponents to the truth are not loud and demon- 
strative in their opposition to it. But they maintain 
a sullen and stubborn silence when they feel the prod- 
dings and probings of divine truth. They do not 
fight the truth and the truth-seeker and the truth- 
teller so much as they try to protect themselves from 
its searching exposures and obligations. They simply 
play the part of a wise shell-fish. They shut them- 
selves up in their shell, and refuse to comt out within 



134 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

the reach of the gospel hook or spear. Their mind is 
occupied not so much with the rejection of truth and 
its expounders as it is with their own protection. 
They are not so malicious as they are selfish. 

There is another class of people somewhat similar 
to the former. They are those who think that men 
deal unjustly with them, and that some declarations 
intended for them are not fair to them. So they 
refuse to receive the truth or to hear it. They think 
the seeming injustice of the truth to them in its per- 
verted application to them, justifies them in their re- 
jection of it. There are many persons who recognize 
the fact that the preachments directed at them do not 
apply to them. In such cases they feel perfectly 
justified in its rejection. It does not belong to them. 
To this class belong also those people who quietly 
ignore the truth that they hear, and avoid opportun- 
ities for hearing any more. They not only ignore 
the truth, but they try to banish it from their minds. 
They try to be and act indifferent to the truth. 

The man found at the supper without his wedding 
garment on was speechless when accosted by his lord. 
As with him, very often this class of hearers main- 
tain silence because they are not able to give a rea- 
sonable answer to the questions or arguments of their 
opponents. More than once it is said that Christ's 
enemies durst not ask Him any more questions, nor 
say anything more to Him, Mat. 22 : 46 ; Mk. 12 : 34 ; 
Luke 20 : 40. Neither did they give Christ any more 
opportunities to question them. They simply avoided 
all opportunities for conflict with him in any way, 
like many others under conviction. 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 135 

III. The next general class of persons in regard to 
the truth is that of the deliberating. It is naturally to 
be expected that when any man is hesitating under 
deep conviction of sin that his outward conduct or 
manner will partake of the nature of the manifesta- 
tions of both the other classes, but mostly of the man- 
ner of those who are seeking. But when men are 
hesitating or deliberating about taking some definite 
religious action, their present attitude is apt to be that 
of inactivity and variableness. The qualities which 
are apt to characterize the doubtful or hesitating are 
those of the thoughtful. These qualities are sobriety 
and meditation, fear and trembling, and occasional in- 
quisitiveness and talkativeness. The two most promi- 
nent characteristics of the hesitating are thoughtful- 
ness and fear. The merely hesitating are always 
thoughtful. 

The convicted who are hesitating are divided into 
two general classes; one is the serious, and the other 
is the careless. The first class comprises those who 
are under deep conviction, and are deliberating wheth- 
er they will make an immediate start in the christian 
life, or defer all definite action to some future time, 
when they expect to make a full and final commit- 
ment of all they have and are to God. This class under 
favorable circumstances will usually accept and assume 
the obligations of divine truth upon them, for to this 
class belong the thoughtful, steady and purposeful. 
They are the material that usually makes substantial 
christians. The second class includes those who are 
neither anxious nor deliberating. They are not seek- 
ing for light, truth nor duty; nor yet do they inten- 



136 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

tionally reject it. They are simply open to what light 
comes to them, not as a matter of enlightenment, di- 
rection or inspiration, but as matter of mere courtesy 
for the messenger, or of mere curiosity for the truth. 
Their principal aim is simply to know how to meet 
the truth, without considering its relation to them- 
selves. And this causes them but little or no anxiety. 
1. People under deep conviction for their sins, 
and hesitating about beginning the christian life, are 
usually thoughtful. Indeed it is difficult if not al- 
most impossible to divert the minds of such from the 
sense of their own sinfulness, from the problems of 
life and death, immortality and eternity, from the 
thoughts of future rewards and punishments, and of 
their own responsibility to God. Whatever else comes 
up, and attracts their attention for the time being, 
their minds always swing back to these great prob- 
lems. There is a natural gravitation of real religious 
conviction toward serious thoughts and eternal truths. 
When in such a mental and spiritual condition, per- 
sons under conviction rarely open up a conversation 
upon such topics except for diversion or rest, informa- 
tion or courtesy. The Spirit presses the problems of 
the soul's eternal salvation and obligation upon their 
minds for a full and final settlement, and resists any 
interruption or hindrance of the process. So thought- 
fulness and consequent seriousness are the principal 
characteristics of this class. It is not the cheerful, 
happy thoughtfulness, whose thoughts please and en- 
tertain ; but the sad, sober, serious thoughtfulness, 
whose only relief is the hope of the penitent and believ- 
ing, which is salvation from sin through Christ Jesus. 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 137 

When the soul gets a clear view of its own condi- 
tion and deficiency in regard to the full demands of a 
righteous law and a sovereign ruler, it is naturally op- 
pressed with a sense of its own weakness and sinful- 
ness, and of fear and anxiety. There are ordinarily 
three things which harass the awakened soul with fear 
and solicitude. The first one is, lest his own sins and 
sinfulness surpass the love and mercy of God. Hence 
deep conviction borders on hopelessness, and is com- 
plete when the conviction reaches the point of self- 
despair. The second thing such people fear is, that 
they have sinned away their day of grace, that they 
have crossed the dead line, that their doom is already 
sealed, and that their day of mercy is forever past. A 
third matter of great anxiety to them is, lest the door 
of mercy be soon closed to them, and all hope for them 
be eternally vanished, if it is not already. Most people 
under deep conviction will be harassed by all these 
fears, by some of them all of the time, and by all of 
them some of the time. 

After conviction is complete, men need to be im- 
pressed with the great mercy and love of God, and 
with the sufficiency of the atonement in Christ Jesus. 
Unless the door of mercy is opened to them, they are 
liable to sink into sullen despair. The preaching of 
the law alone shuts up men in hopelessness under sin, 
and hardens them in it. The law must be preached 
to show men their sinfulness and need, and their abso- 
lute dependence upon Christ as their only Savior. 
Nevertheless when they recognize these points, they 
need the blood to be applied. Ministers must wound, 
and then pour in oil. They must kill, and then make 



138 . THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

alive. They must convict, and then console. They 
must shut up under the law, and then must open the 
door of gospel grace. After men are brought under 
deep conviction and taste the bitter fruits of sin and 
repentance, they need the consolations of the gospel 
applied immediately. Despair, if long continued, har- 
dens men. It should not be forgotten, too, that de- 
spair will at first soften men. But if mercy is not 
shown immediately or soon, men under deep convic- 
tion will harden their hearts. Mercy and love offered 
at the opportune time will soften the heart, even more 
than will despair. If offered to men before they are un- 
der conviction or are penitent, mercy and love will only 
harden men's hearts. This is manifest when unwise 
leniency is shown to criminals. It begets hardness 
and indifference when divine love and mercy are of- 
fered to seekers who are not yet fully penitent, or who 
refuse to make full reparation or restitution. The 
wise man recognized this when he said, "Because sen- 
tence against an evil work is not executed speedily, 
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in 
them to do evil. ,, — Eccl. 8 : 11. So prudence must be 
used in the application of the law, either civil or di- 
vine, or of the gospel that they may produce the best 
effect. 

While in this state, and no further, convicted per- 
sons rarely ever open a religious conversation or make 
any inquiries for light, direction or comfort. They will 
frequently talk and ask questions though when others 
introduce the subject. The fact is, most people will 
talk on the subject of religion when the subject is 
properly introduced, but most people will refuse to 



THE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONVICTION 139 

take the initiative. This leaves the subject to be first 
broached by christian workers. This is frequently an 
advantage, for it gives them an opportunity to intro- 
duce whatever phase of the subject they may think 
best. When a serious conversation is once begun, it 
is not always easy to change its course. 

2. The second class who hesitate is that of those 
who are not in earnest, and have no moral purpose. 
They seek neither spiritual knowledge nor divine grace. 
They do not seek the truth, and barely give it a civil 
reception, when it is thrust upon them. But they do 
not welcome it. They sometimes have a sort of pass- 
ing purpose to turn to God ; but it is neither strong nor 
abiding. They will perform some religious acts, but 
it will be in a half-hearted way, and then only to soothe 
their consciences, and not to save their souls. Such 
folks are apt to be more or less vacillating, and may 
become simply a reflection of their environment. 
When they are with the good, they have aspirations. 
When with the bad, they are depressed and inclined 
toward evil. They are usually weak rather than 
wicked; and are molded from without rather than 
from within. They are mostly moral products rather 
than moral agents. The stony-ground hearers usually 
come from this class. For they have probably an easy 
and fickle nature to begin with. 



PART III 

THE MAKING OF MORAL ADJUSTMENTS. 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Principles of Repentance. 

MANY have often thought and said that when 
Jesus came to earth, He softened the sever- 
ity of judgment and mitigated the rigor of 
punishment which were taught in the Old Testament. 
But such people forget that less than one-tenth of the 
sermon on the Mount is devoted to the Beatitudes. 
In the remainder of the sermon the obligation of the 
moral law is not lightened, neither is any of it set 
aside. On the contrary, it is more widely and deeply 
applied. For Christ requires not only good conduct, 
but also pure thoughts and kind feelings. "God is of 
purer eyes than to behold evil; and cannot look on 
iniquity." — Hab. 1 : 13. He does not allow us to be- 
come partakers of other men's sins; neither will He. 
The old ceremonial law, so far as it prefigured 
Christ, was entirely abrogated, when Christ came. 
The old ceremonial law foreshadowed two fundamen- 
tal facts. The first fact was men's need of moral 
purity; and the second was a prophecy and a sym- 
bolical promise of the work which Christ was to do 
for them. The ceremonial law was a picture of what 
a man ought to be, and what God through Christ 

141 



142 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

could make him. When the reality is attained, the 
picture is not valued so highly, but is only a reminder 
of what God can do or has done. No man when he 
marries cares to wed a picture. But the picture is 
retained as a memento, or to look at when one is ab- 
sent, or the original is dead or gone. So no man 
ought to want to be wedded to a ceremony. 

It seems that many have not noticed that when 
Christ came, the moral law was applied more faithfully 
and fully than ever before. The scribes and the Phar- 
isees as a class represented the height of the applica- 
tion of the Mosaic law to the outward life at the be- 
ginning of the New Testament dispensation. Yet 
Christ declared, "Except your righteousness shall ex- 
ceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, 
ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." 
■ — Mat. 5 : 20. Their righteousness was all outward, and 
was from selfish motives, and not from the love of 
both God and man. 

The old Mosaic law simply prohibited murder; 
but the new law did not even permit hatred. The 
decalogue forbade adultery; but Christ did not allow 
evil thoughts. The Old Testament disallowed mali- 
cious deeds ; the New Testament not only forbade un- 
kind thoughts and words and deeds; it went much 
further, and required us to love our enemies, and to 
return good for evil. The Old Testament is a mani- 
festation of divine justice ; and the New is an exhibi- 
tion of God's mercy and love. But the justice and 
holiness of God are neither ignored nor overlooked 
in the New Testament. Under the New Testament 
dispensation the moral law of the former dispensation 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 143 

was not annulled nor abridged in its requirements. 
The laws of the Old Testament and those of the New 
were in reality the same; but in the New they were 
applied more strictly and minutely, because the people 
then had more light and also more help and inspira- 
tion in the gift of the Holy Spirit. The apostle says 
in regard to the olden times, "Those times of ignorance 
God winked at."— Acts 17 : 30. It is said that we 
establish the law through faith, Rom. 3 : 31. It might 
be said that we establish the law through repentance 
also. God puts His microscope upon the very 
thoughts, motions and emotions of our hearts and the 
natural mind, and sees there the germs of all sin, 
Isa. 55 : 7. 

The love and mercy of God are continually mag- 
nified at the expense of His holiness and justice. 
Christ's forgiveness of the condemned women is per- 
sistently paraded in public preaching; while the young 
man who had kept all the commandments from his 
youth up, but failed of eternal life because he lacked 
just one thing, is rarely mentioned. These views are 
generally held by those who are entirely devoid of 
spiritual life, or whose religious life is mostly negative 
or greatly neglected. It was the One who died to save 
the world, who said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all 
likewise perish." — Luke 13 : 3, 5. It was not wrath, 
but mercy that uttered the warning. Only hatred and 
wrath would deprive sinful men of any chance what- 
ever. Love gives the struggling sinner another chance 
to retrieve himself, not grudgingly, but willingly, yea, 
even anxiously and gladly. Criminal carelessness and 
cold indifference would let perishing souls go to Per- 



144 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

dition unwarned of their certain danger. But love 
would snatch them as brands from the eternal burn- 
ings. It is love that warns as well as woos ; that re- 
bukes as well as comforts. Hatred does not care what 
happens to his enemy. 

A danger signal is under no obligation to prevent 
people from running into danger, but is to warn. This 
is its work, and its only work. If a case of accident 
comes into court, the railroad is excused if it is proved 
that the plaintiff received adequate warning. So a 
preacher is responsible only for warning, and not for 
saving only the willing. But God requires the watch- 
man on the walls of Zion to warn all under his care 
and within his reach of their duty to God and to one 
another, and of the judgment of God upon their neglect 
of duty. 

We must first discuss the general principles of re- 
pentance. These furnish the fundamental laws for all 
moral reformation. In them we see the reasons for 
cessation from all sin, and for reparation and restitu- 
tion, and for confession and forgiveness. Our first 
obligation is toward our own sins, and our next obliga- 
tion is toward the sins of others. The first duty of 
men is to cast the beam out of their own eye that they 
may see clearly to pluck the mote out of their broth- 
er's eye. Men ought to practice at home first. This 
shows that they love righteousness. When men are 
very anxious for that other fellow to quit stealing or 
cheating and does not quit himself, it shows that his 
interest is purely selfish, and it is for the protection of 
self, and not for the glory of God. But when men 
are anxious to quit dishonest acts whether anybody 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 145 

else does or not, it shows that the man is in earnest. 
All men should forsake and repair their own sins be- 
fore they can reach those of other people. 

Our first duty toward our own sins is to for- 
sake them. Repentance is an attitude of the soul, as 
well as an act or course of conduct. Repentance is 
not a cessation of sin for any possible reason, nor a 
plausible reason, nor even for a moral reason. That is 
merely reformation. Reformation is very often made 
for prudential or financial reasons, for social or politi- 
cal ones, and sometimes for the sake of health. World- 
ly repentance is usually only for what is a temporal 
benefit. But true repentance is a Godly sorrow for 
sin, and a complete and final renunciation of all sin, 
for both moral and spiritual reasons, no matter wheth- 
er there is any gain or profit from a prudential, finan- 
cial, commercial, social or hygienic standpoint or not. 
Real repentance may in fact involve a financial, social 
or political loss instead of a gain. True repentance 
requires a complete cessation of the practice of sin. 
No repentance is either true or complete which does 
not lead one to forsake all known sin. All partial or 
temporary renunciation of sin is usually for prudential 
reasons. A man who renounces one sin, but who at 
the same time practices another, is not moved by the 
spirit of love, or truth, but simply by a selfish desire 
which has for its motive personal gain, and not be- 
cause it is a spiritual hindrance to his soul, or is hate- 
ful to God. 

Repentance is not thorough when a man makes on- 
ly a temporary renunciation of sin. The fact that a 
man renounces sin only temporarily shows that he 



146 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

still loves the sin. If he really hated the sin he would 
renounce it forever. If a man should swear off drink- 
ing till next Christmas, when he feels that he cannot 
forego his usual Holiday spree, it is evident that he 
has not thoroughly repented of his drunkenness. The 
fact that his so-called repentance is conditional proves 
that it is not sincere. Weak and wavering resolutions 
never brought St. Augustine to complete victory over 
his besetting sins of drunkenness and licentiousness. 
After long seeking for salvation, and failing to find 
it, he seemed to be providentially led to read Rom. 
13: 13f, the latter of which verses reads, "But put ye 
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for 
the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof." There are too 
many who make provision in all their reformation to 
enjoy some of the pleasures of sin in some by-path, 
or in the future. There is no doubt that this is one 
of the greatest hindrances to success in seeking the 
Lord. What woman cares to marry a man if he de- 
sires to return to some old sweetheart after awhile? 
No one. Can we suppose that the Lord would care 
to be wedded to any man who expects or intends to 
return to the fleshpots of Egypt some day? 

When a man renounces one sin and not another, 
it shows that he still loves the sin which he still prac- 
tices. True repentance is a hatred of all sin merely 
because of its sinfulness, and not because of its in- 
juriousness to the sinner or to anybody else, but be- 
cause it is wrong and hateful and displeasing to God. 
And all sin is sinful, and is to be hated and renounced 
because it is sinful. Hatred of sin because of its sin- 
fulness, and not for fear of its punishment, constitutes 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 147 

the true basis for repentance, yea, and is repentance 
itself. It is Godly sorrow for sin, and sin alone, that 
constitutes repentance ; and not regret for its punish- 
ment directly or indirectly, or for its injurious effects. 
So when a man really hates sin he loves righteousness. 
On the other hand, sometimes when a man really 
repents instead of regretting punishment, he may wel- 
come it as his just desert. When men have repented 
of their sins they have been known to offer themselves 
up to civil officers to receive the penalty of the law 
when they might have escaped. Paul had the same 
spirit. He declared, "For if I be an offender, or have 
committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to 
die." — Acts 25 : 11. As long as a man is refusing to 
suffer his just punishment, or is complaining of what 
he has suffered for his sin, he has not repented. When 
David was pelted with stones and dust during his 
temporary dethronement, a friend wanted to defend 
him, and punish the miscreant. But David nobly for- 
bade him to do so, and let the fellow continue his 
insults. He recognized that it was God's will that 
he should suffer, as it had been so declared by Nathan 
the prophet. 

There are many reasons for forsaking all present and 
known sin, some of which are here given. It is not nec- 
essary to give all ; neither does time or space permit it. 

I. The very first command of Christ was in re- 
gard to repentance, Mat. 4 : 17. The very fact that 
God commands it makes it a duty. Deference and 
obedience to our Creator and moral Governor requires 
us to heed His commands. The duty of repentance is 
grounded in the obligation to do the right and eschew 



148 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

the wrong. An obligation to do the right is also an 
obligation to cease from wrong. The rule of the Old 
Testament was, "Cease to do evil ; learn to do well." — 
Isa. 1 : 16f. The Old Testament expresses merely the 
required outward conduct. The New Testament is 
more emphatic still. It shows the attitude required 
of the inner man, even of the soul. It says, "Abhor 
that which is evil ; cleave to that which is good." — 
Rom. 12 : 9. Nothing could express the strength of the 
inner purpose and feelings more than does this. 

Good and bad, right and wrong, sin and salvation, 
God and Satan, heaven and hell, are all at opposite 
poles of the moral universe ; so that a man cannot turn 
toward the one without turning from the other. A 
man in New York cannot go to Chicago without first 
leaving New York. One cannot turn to Christ without 
first forsaking Satan. Christ reproved the young man 
who wanted to follow Him, but first desired to wait 
and take care of his father till he died, and then he 
would follow Him. He said, "Let the dead bury their 
dead, but come thou and follow me." — Mat. 8 : 22. 

God seeth not as man seeth. God looketh on the 
heart. Man looketh on the outward appearance. The 
germs of all sin are found in the carnal condition of 
the soul- God recognizes that a man's desires toward 
sin are the seeds of all sin. God puts His microscope 
on them and sees what will be the final fruitage. He 
names the desires just what they will finally be, and 
not what they are. He that hateth his brother is a 
murderer. Whoso lusteth after the opposite sex is an 
adulterer. He that coveteth his neighbor's property 
is a thief. He that exaggerates, prevaricates, or mis- 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 149 

represents is a liar. One who prefers anything in the 
whole universe to God himself is an idolater, I Sam. 
15 : 23. And the lukewarm are disgusting and repul- 
sive to a holy God, Rev. 3 : 15f. Even the irreverent 
are considered profane. And the careless and indiffer- 
ent are condemned as criminal and wicked. 

The formula for repentance is very clearly, ac- 
curately and beautifully stated in Isa. 55 : 7. The first 
thing, and the only thing for a sinner to do when be- 
ginning the christian life is declared to be: "Let the 
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his 
thoughts. " It is only after doing these things, that he 
is really able to "turn to the Lord, who will have 
mercy upon him, and to our God who will abundantly 
pardon." In the very nature of things, we cannot turn 
to God till we turn from every known sin. For sin is 
the desire, plan and act of Satan, and is repulsive to 
God, and cannot be otherwise. No ship ever tries 
to leave port till every line is taken in. But there are 
many who profess to be sailing heavenward who still 
have numerous ties binding them to this world still 
uncut. Men can never be christians while they hold 
more tenaciously to what is wrong, worldly or selfish, 
than they do to what is right. I once read of a drunk- 
en man who got into his boat and rowed all night. 
When daylight came, he found himself just where he 
was when he began. He had failed to loose the boat. 
He declared to himself that it was farther across the 
river than it ever was before. His rowing was all in 
vain while his boat was fastened to the bank. So is 
all the praying, crying, trying, and struggling, in 
vain, while men are still entangled with affairs of this 



150 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

world, and yoked up with the world. When the 
Greeks entered the races they laid aside all their 
weights. So when christians enter the christian race 
they must lay aside all their weights as well as their 
sins. It is absolutely of no use to try to serve God 
while holding on to the world. God will not recog- 
nize a man while he flirts with the world. A foreigner 
cannot become a citizen of the United States until he 
has renounced all foreign governments, and especially 
the one under whose jurisdiction he has been living. 
The first part of the oath is the renunciation of all 
former allegiances. Here it is. "I hereby declare on 
oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and ab- 
jure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, 
potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly (name 
sovereign here), of whom I have heretofore been a sub- 
ject; that I will support and defend the Constitution 
and laws of the United States of America, against all 
enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will bear 
true faith and allegiance to the same." Notice first 
that the man must first renounce all allegiance to all 
foreign rulers, and especially the one to whom he has 
been subject, before he takes the oath of allegiance to 
the United States. Apply the same principle to the 
sinner turning to God. He must first renounce alle- 
giance to all other rulers, and especially to Satan his 
former ruler, before God will notice or receive any 
protestations of allegiance to Himself. 

II. Some will contend that they believe in a posi- 
tive work, and not in a negative one. But they are 
both necessary. Moreover, the negative work is neces- 
sary first, and always comes first. The command is, 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 151 

"Repent, and believe the gospel," — Mk. 1 : 15, not 
believe the gospel, and then repent, nor believe with- 
out repenting. God always follows the rational order, 
both in precept and in practice. The principal direc- 
tion in the Old Testament is, "Thou shall not." In 
the New Testament it is, "Thou shalt." The former 
is negative, and the latter is positive. The former is 
preparation, and the latter is completion. The Old 
Testament gave principally prohibitions and warnings ; 
but the New gave commands and exhortations. The 
people in the olden times were required to be segre- 
gated from the world literally before God could prop- 
erly receive and train them for Himself. They were 
required to leave Egypt forever before God gave them 
His law or any special manifestation. 

Some would have a man don the robe of right- 
eousness before he doffs his tattered garments of sin. 
And we do not follow this course in our spiritual life 
any more than we do in our natural life. We usually 
if not always put off our old clothes before we don 
our new ones. Besides men usually bathe as well as 
lay aside their soiled garments before donning new or 
clean ones. Christ taught the same doctrine when 
He spoke a parable against putting new wine into old 
bottles, and patches of new cloth upon old garments, 
Mat. 9:14-17; Mk. 2:19-22; Luke 5:33-39. New 
cloth usually shrinks more or less. So do religious 
pretensions, when they are not well-grounded. In 
the electroplating process every article has to be 
thoroughly cleansed from all dirt and grease, or the 
gold or silver particles will not adhere to it. The 
Holy Spirit knows the true order, and always follows 



15a THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

it. He pushes men toward repentance before faith. 
He always convicts before He converts. He always 
justifies before He sanctifies, where the two works 
are separate, which is usually if not always the case. 
So He always requires repentance and faith before 
He converts. Of course there may be exceptional 
cases. As for instance, Christ seems to have forgiven 
Zaccheus before he made restitution. He said, "This 
day is salvation come to this house," immediately up- 
on his confession and expression of purpose. But 
Christ saw what was in his heart, and acted accord- 
ingly, and blessed him on a credit. But this prin- 
ciple will be discussed in a later chapter. The tem- 
poral punishment sometimes pronounced by the law 
is often set aside too. Several instances of this are 
found in the Old Testament. But exceptional cases 
are not the rule. And it is a serious perversion of 
law to make exceptions the rule, and also to allow of 
no exceptions to the rule. 

The unscriptural method of exhorting people to 
believe without repenting, and to practice many good 
works without quitting many or even any of their sins, 
has had the bad effect of making sinners believe or 
profess that they are christians, while they are still 
"in the gall of bitterness, and the bonds of iniquity." 
This also makes the impression that a great variety 
of sins is entirely compatible with the christian life 
and experience. Some mixtures break very easily. 
The image of clay and iron feet mentioned in Dan. 
2 : 35-45, is a good illustration. 

Then God has promised to forgive men when they 
repent and confess, and not before, I John 1 : 9 ; 4 : 15 ; 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 153 

Ps. 32 : 2-5 ; Prov. 28 : 13 ; Jas. 5 : 16. Christ also says 
that if a man shall confess him before men, that is; 
that they need and accept him as a personal Savior; 
that He will confess them before His Father and 
before His holy angels; that is, that he became their 
Savior and redeemed them, Mat. 10 : 32 ; Rev. 3 : 5. 
If a man denies Christ before men, or in other words 
refuses to take Christ as his personal Savior, or to con- 
fess that he needs a Savior; Christ will also have to 
deny him. He will have to say to such, "Depart from 
me, ye that work iniquity; I never knew you." 

III. Another urgent reason for repentance is, that 
until a man repents he cannot believe the gospel. The 
sinner must cross the bridge of repentance before he 
can get on believing grounds. So Christ preached 
and commanded his disciples to preach, "Repent ye, 
and believe the gospel." — Mk. 1 : 15. Paul stated the 
same formula in other words : "Repentance towards 
God, and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ," Acts 
20: 21; but it means just the same thing, and teaches 
the same order and relation between the two steps 
into the kingdom. Saving faith cannot germinate, 
much less grow in a heart hardened by impenitence. 
The fallow ground of the human heart must be thor- 
oughly broken up by genuine repentance before sav- 
ing faith can either germinate or develop. Faith with- 
ers and dies in any heart when it becomes rebellious, 
stubborn or sinful. And faith returns only when 
such conditions are removed. Evangelical faith is 
indigenous to a penitent or to an obedient heart. It al- 
most sprouts and grows of itself when the heart is in 
the proper condition. 



154 THE MORAL. ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

So many forget that faith is not a mere emotion, 
or a passing opinion; but a view which a man has of 
God and His righteousness, and the attitude which a 
man assumes toward them. Faith in God involves a 
substantial confidence in all the will of God as ex- 
pressed in both His law and in His gospel, in both 
His commands and in His promises. Real faith is an 
assent to the righteousness of the law, and a consent 
to assume the obligation which it demands. Unbelief 
is a wilful and intelligent rejection of God's law, and 
implies a denial of the honesty and the goodness of 
God, or the righteousness of His commands, and the 
faithfulness of His promises. 

Repentance must precede faith. This is the order 
of reason also, and is never found reversed in either 
nature, experience or revelation. How can God have 
mercy upon a man when He knows that He intends 
to commit sin again? For sin is in reality a rebellion 
against God, and a hostility to the Most High. Does 
a general receive a flag of truce while the enemy is 
still firing? Remitting sin to a sinner while he con- 
tinues to commit sin has no good moral effect upon 
him, but rather an evil one. On the other hand, it is 
very liable to cause him to condone sin, and to en- 
courage him in it. What is the use of washing a sow, 
if she immediately returns to her wallowing in the 
mire? It is needless, too, to pull a man out of the 
fire or water either, if he straightway jump in again. 
Many a parent or teacher has remitted the punishment 
promised to the child only when the child penitently 
pledged faithful obedience in the future. The State 
paroles her prisoners, not when they promise to do 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 155 

better, but on their good behavior, when they have 
shown their good intentions by their good works, not 
in a single promise or act, but by an unbroken line of 
faithful obedience for weeks and months. But God is 
often more lenient, and forgives a man when He sees 
that he is penitent, before he performs any outward 
works of repentance. He blesses the man on a credit 
when He sees that the man's credit is good. Never- 
theless the man must have a full purpose to repent, and 
to do the works of repentance. Remitting punish- 
ment on any other condition or principle would only 
have a demoralizing effect. So it is the clear teaching 
of both reason and revelation that repentance comes 
before evangelical faith, and is a necessary prerequisite 
of saving faith. 

On the other hand, no child or criminal or sinner 
really expects mercy while he is impenitent. In fact, 
it is impossible for a man to believe that God will 
forgive him unless he repents, or until he repents. 
And if he did so believe, it would be mere presump- 
tion and not true faith. Take the case of the man who 
has wronged another. Unless the offender makes 
reparation, he always feels that the other man holds 
a sort of grudge against him, no matter whether he 
shows it or not. Furthermore it frequently happens 
that an offender hesitates, and sometimes even re- 
fuses to make confession or reparation simply because 
he fears that even then the wronged one will withhold 
mercy or pardon. This very often prevents confession 
and reparation, lest the wronged one should insist on 
the strictest justice, and should inflict it himself. How 
much more then should a man fear that an offended 



156 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

man or an offended God would be loth to bestow par- 
don or mercy upon the impenitent? 

Then again, confession and reparation often beget 
a hope which may be nourished and developed into 
saving faith. Constant obedience and inner integrity 
are the only things which can further or furnish the 
grounds for the highest faith. For this reason, only 
those who maintain the strictest obedience ever at- 
tain to a full-orbed faith. This order is the only one 
which comports with the divine holiness, "which can- 
not look on iniquity." "If I regard iniquity in my 
heart, the Lord will not hear me." — Ps. 66 : 18. This 
is the cry of crushing conviction everywhere, that 
impenitence prevents real prayer on man's part, as 
well as pardon on God's part. Sometimes just as soon 
as a man begins to repent, he begins to increase in 
faith. But in other instances, faith seems to lag in 
the rear till a man has made full reparation and con- 
fession of everything. But faith rarely delays long 
when a man has fully repented and confessed all of 
his sins. Nothing begets faith in a sinner like making 
reparation, restitution and confession. Quoting all 
the promises in the Bible will not help a seeker while 
unrighted wrongs stare him in the face. To do so is 
simply daubing with untempered mortar. The quick- 
est way through to victory is by righting wrongs. It is 
the only sure way. No man is right or forgiven or 
accepted till he has righted all wrongs, or made ar- 
rangements therefor. 

IV. Furthermore any other order would lower a 
man's self-respect, which scorns taking what does not 
belong to him, or what he does not deserve. An 



THE PRINCIPLES OF REPENTANCE 157 

unearned reputation, or an undeserved one, makes a 
man feel ashamed, and humiliated. Quite a number 
of years ago, I heard a young lady remark that it 
made her feel like a hypocrite when any one compli- 
mented her. The reason of it was, as afterward ap- 
peared, that she was a hypocrite. 

Then again, special regard for an undeserving sin- 
ner shows either a lack of a high moral standard or a 
deficient moral discernment. The one would reflect 
upon God's character, and the other upon His intelli- 
gence. Then forgiveness is receiving as righteous one 
who is totally unrighteous, if God forgive impenitent 
sinners. When a man repents, he begins immediately 
to prefer righteousness and to hate iniquity, and is 
righteous in purpose and spirit already. In such a 
case, a man could love and respect God for maintain- 
ing His righteous law, and at the same time trying 
to show mercy. But in the former case, the sinner 
would have no more respect for himself, but less for 
God, less for righteousness, and less for His law and 
cause. But God has maintained the majesty of His 
law, and will continue to do so. 

Moreover forgiveness without repentance would 
only tend to confirm a sinner in his sins. This is 
very clearly shown in the case of the children of in- 
dulgent parents. D. L. Moody said that Absalom was 
spoiled because his father David always forgave him 
without requiring him to repent. 

The manifestation of both love and justice makes 
and molds the highest form of character. Either one 
alone makes a weak and one-sided character, which 
is usually if not always defective in some point or 



158 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

other. But God is not a moral dupe, neither is He 
an indulgent grandfather. His character is not love 
alone, nor holiness alone, but holy love. His object 
is not simply to win men to himself ; but to transform 
them into His own character and likeness. Mercy 
alone never transforms anybody. 

The consciousness of the love of righteousness 
begets a sense of satisfaction, as well as a sense of 
self-respect. Without repentance there would be no 
change of reputation or character. Without repen- 
tance there would be no change in the man himself, 
but only in God. Without repentance, it would seem 
as if God were totally ignorant of the facts, or wil- 
fully ignored them, Ps. 25 : 3 ; Rom. 9 : 33 ; 10 : 11. 
But nothing escapes His notice. He sees the evil as 
well as the good, and He will by no means clear the 
guilty. Every transgression and disobedience re- 
ceives a just recompense of reward, Heb. 2: 3. 

It is written, "whosoever believeth in Him shall 
not be ashamed. " — Rom. 9 : 33. For this there are two 
reasons. One is, before a man can believe, he has to 
repent so thoroughly that nothing evil can be alleged 
against him. So his conscience is necessarily clear. 
And a clear conscience banishes all shame. Then our 
faith introduces us into the family of God. And the 
consciousness of divine sonship and the witness of 
the Spirit thereto gives their possessor a holy bold- 
ness, and a sense of humble dependent dignity. When 
a man really believes, he believes unto righteousness. 
So that if he does believe he becomes righteous in 
purpose and spirit, and by justification by the Lord, 
and so he is not ashamed. — Rom. 10 : lOf. 



CHAPTER X. 
The Principles of Restitution. 

THE last chapter discusses the principles of re- 
pentance relating to present sins. This chap- 
ter deals with the repentance of one's past sins. 
So many seem to think that after a man has committed 
a sin, he has no more to do with it except to ask and 
receive forgiveness for it. But a man's relation to his 
sins never ceases till they are completely atoned for, 
or are freely forgiven. A man must meet his sins 
sooner or later. There is no possible escape therefrom. 
Moses' warning to his people to "Be sure your sin 
will find you out," Num. 32 : 23, expresses the in- 
evitability of the retribution for all sin. We must meet 
them hereafter and here, too. We can bring them into 
judgment beforehand by confession and restitution. 
When once under the blood they are settled forever. 
Repentance in general includes all the specific acts 
and classes of acts which manifest repentance as a 
state of the soul, as well as constitute repentance it- 
self. It embraces two kinds of acts, the hatred of sin, 
and the consequent renunciation of sin. Both of these 
are grounded in the same moral principle. The first 
is the inward purpose, and the second is the outward 
act. The true basis for repentance is found, not in 
the fear of sin, or of its punishment, or any of its evil 
consequences; nor is it a cessation from sin for any 
worldly advantage whatever; but it is real reforma- 

159 



160 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

tion of heart and life because of a hatred of sin on 
account of its sinfulness in itself, and its repulsiveness 
to God. Repentence is simply Godly sorrow for sin, 
and because it made God sorry before it made us sorry. 

I. True repentance leads us to adjust ourselves in 
several ways in regard to our sins. First, repentance 
leads us to adjust ourselves toward our present sins 
by ceasing from them altogether and forever; second, 
toward our possible or probable future sins, by our 
present purpose in making no provision for their com- 
mission at any future time; third, toward our past 
sins, by confession and apology, reparation or restitu- 
tion. No repentance is true or thorough that does not 
adjust the soul toward all of these. And every person 
who is right at heart adjusts himself toward all of 
them willingly. 

The first class of acts in repentance is that of those 
expressing the forsaking of sins. A man has not fully 
repented until he has forsaken every known sin. He 
cannot learn to do well until he ceases to do evil, 
Isa. 1 : 16f. For doing evil is not doing well, and in 
the very nature of things never can be. If a man still 
loves sin, and still practices sin, there has been no 
real moral change in his soul. Indeed a man may 
change all his outward acts, both in word and in deed, 
and have but little if any change of heart. A man may 
act much better than usual because he has a purpose 
and plan for deeper deviltry than ever before. This 
is not only possible; it is actual, and very often hap- 
pens. A man may have a form of godliness, and deny 
both its spirit and power. This too, is not only a pos- 
sibility, but is a frequent actuality. 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 161 

Repentance toward present sins includes two 
classes of acts : namely, the outward acts, and the in- 
ward thoughts and feelings. Isaiah expresses this 
very clearly when he says, "Let the wicked," or the 
man who does wrong, "forsake his way," or his out- 
ward acts; and "let the unrighteous man," or the one 
who thinks evil, but whose outward life may possibly 
be correct, let him "forsake his thoughts." — Isa. 55 : 7. 
It is not enough to have one's outward life correct. 
The inmost thoughts and feelings must be right also. 
For a man may be wrong, and do right for policy's 
sake; as well as be right, and do wrong ignorantly 
and thoughtlessly. In the former case, he receives no 
credit, because his motive is wrong. In the latter case 
he receives no condemnation, because his heart and 
purpose are right, and he transgresses through ignor- 
ance and thoughtlessness. But thoughtlessness and 
carelessness may be so needless, and their consequences 
so injurious, that they might become really criminal 
and sinful. Notice, too, that Isaiah follows the phil- 
osophical order. For every one knows that it is easier 
to correct his outward life and conduct than it is his 
inward thoughts and feelings. To illustrate : A man 
recently converted was greatly provoked by his balky 
horses. He told a friend that if he had not become 
a christian, and joined the Church he would swear. 
This indicated that while he restrained the outward 
act, he still had the inward thought and desire. He 
did restrain the outward act ; but still permitted and 
possibly cherished the inward feeling. For it happens 
very often that people who would absolutely refuse 
to commit an outward act of evil, will continue to 



162 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

nurse evil thoughts and hard feelings. But God has 
promised to deliver from evil thoughts, as well as 
from evil words and actions. He has planned and 
provided for "casting down imaginations, and every 
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge 
of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the 
obedience of Christ." — II Cor. 10 : 5. 

The Lord wants His people to be right as well as 
to do right. He desires that the tree shall be good, 
so that the fruit must be good, and cannot be evil. 
He declares that it is impossible for a good tree to 
bring forth evil fruit, or for an evil tree to bring forth 
good fruit, Mat. 7 : 17f. Yet the world persists in trying 
it. A man may be right in heart, and do things wrong 
in themselves. In such case it is the fault of the head, 
and not of the heart. But such a wrong will be re- 
paired as soon as known and possible. For persons 
who are right in heart will correct all wrongs com- 
mitted through ignorance, when they recognize the 
sinfulness of such acts. All wrong acts committed 
through ignorance are faults and mistakes, and not 
sins. The sin is in the intelligent attitude or purpose 
of the will, and not in the mere act itself. The in- 
telligent purpose is the act of the soul, and the out- 
ward commission of the purpose is the act of the body. 
Nevertheless every variation from a perfect law is 
either a transgression, sin of omission or a sin of 
ignorance. As the sin is in the intelligent purpose, a 
change of purpose may change the same act from sin 
to righteousness, or from righteousness to sin. So 
also, a change of purpose will eliminate sinfulness from 
acts otherwise sinful. For instance, one may give 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 163 

another five dollars. It may be given as a present, for 
food, for missions, or for other benevolence; or it 
may be given as a bribe, or hush money, or it may be 
stolen money. In the first instance, it may be a man's 
duty to receive it; in the other, it may be absolutely 
forbidden by law both divine and civil. God com- 
mands us to "keep our heart with all diligence, for out 
of it are the issues of life." — Prov. 4: 23. 

II. It is not enough to cease from wrong doing. 
For the same spirit and principle that would lead a 
man to forsake present wrong because of its sinful- 
ness, would also lead him to rectify past wrongs if 
possible. Every one who has begun the christian life, 
and many who have never begun it, wish they had the 
opportunity of living their lives over again, so that 
they might make them different or better. Penitence 
over past evil conduct leads the penitent to do two 
things : First, to undo past wrongs to others ; second, 
to warn others of the mistakes which he made. In 
the first instance he makes restitution, and in the sec- 
ond he makes confession. We can never live our lives 
over again, but we can change some things in them. 
Everyone who has truly repented, wishes that he could 
modify some things in his past life. He would be 
better satisfied if he could and did. More and more 
are we convinced that true repentance requires one 
to undo all past wrongs if possible. The truth is, the 
man who is truly penitent wants to do it. The same 
spirit that causes a man to want to live his life over 
again to make it different or better, causes him to 
want to warn others against the mistakes which he 
made, and the sins which he committed. So here we 



164 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

have the basis for Scriptural confession. The impos- 
sibility of making proper confession and reparation 
sometimes induces remorse and despair. There is no 
doubt but that it was the impossibility of altering the 
results of the betrayal of Christ that caused Judas to 
commit suicide. 

The Lord requires every one to stand faultless be- 
fore His throne, I Cor. 1:8; Eph. 5 : 27 ; I Thes. 5 : 23 ; 
Jude 24. One is naturaly ashamed to defend a man 
who is unworthy or guilty of wrong. Even a criminal 
lawyer would prefer to defend a man who has a 
worthy cause. Some lawyers will closely examine 
every case before they will undertake it. Abraham 
Lincoln refused numbers of cases because he consid- 
ered them unjust. But Christ, our Advocate, will 
undertake the case of every sinner, no matter how 
bad he has been or done in the past, if his present pur- 
pose is right. No retainer's fee is required, except to 
trust in His atonement made by His precious blood. 
He requires only one condition, and that is, entirely to 
eschew all sin in the present and in the future, and 
also to rectify past wrongs as far as possible, and as 
soon as possible. 

Suppose some man should be saved because he be- 
lieved, or because he professed to believe in Christ, 
and suppose this man had not fully repented, or had 
not repented at all, who had not forsaken present 
sins, nor righted past ones as far as possible. Then 
suppose another man who had not done worse and 
probably better, but had not believed or made any 
profession. Should the latter be rejected on account 
of his unbelief only, he might and probably would 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 165 

say, "That man is no better than I am." He would 
consider it unjust on the part of God to save such a 
man in his sins simply because he believed or pro- 
fessed to believe; while condemning another whose 
moral conduct and purpose is just as good, or pos- 
sibly better, but who makes no profession of faith. 
No kind or degree of profession of faith, or even faith 
itself wins the confidence of anybody. But a high 
moral purpose and a pure life always impress people, 
and win the confidence of both saint and sinner. 

If one man has cheated another, or stolen from 
him, or owes him and will not pay him, the creditor, 
or the man who was cheated or robbed, will have no 
confidence in the debtor or the thief. For he will 
naturally and rightly expect the debtor to pay him, 
or the thief, or cheat, to make restitution, when they 
profess to love God. If the thief, cheat or debtor does 
not make restitution, dishonesty is considered more 
of a reflection on a man after such a profession than 
it was before ; because one naturally expects a change 
of character with a change of profession. Should God 
receive a man who was recognized as a sinner with- 
out any change in his conduct, the world would con- 
sider Him a dupe, or destitute of moral distinctions. 
Therefore God wants every man to straighten up his 
past and present life when such a man takes upon 
himself the name of Christ. Therefore Paul wrote, 
"Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart 
from iniquity." — II Tim. 2 : 19. We dislike to hear of 
a man bearing our family name accused of crime or 
sin. We almost consider it a reflection upon ourselves. 
It seems worse still when the accused is one of our 



166 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

own immediate family. God wants the divine family 
and its name to be above reproach. Still some presume 
upon the mercy of God, and the credulity of man. A 
man once said that God forgave all his past sins, and 
therefore he did not need to make restitution, or 
reparation, for Christ paid all his debts for him. We 
are ashamed of our own relatives when they live in 
sin and crime. And the nearer they are to us by the 
ties of nature, the more of a grief and shame they are 
to us. But we respect and trust them when they re- 
pent and become converted, no matter what their 
previous life has been. 

David recognized this principle of confidence, and 
assigns it as a reason for his confession. He wanted 
men to have confidence in him and in God, too. He 
would, then, confess that people might have con- 
fidence in him and also in God. Therefore he says in 
his confession to God, "Against thee, thee only have I 
sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou might 
be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when 
thou judgest."— Ps. 51:4; Rom. 3:4. The Lord will 
not follow such a course that His creatures will have 
room to criticize his holiness and justice. Three 
worlds will be assembled on the judgment day to wit- 
ness the trial of all earth's gathered nations, and hear 
the decision. The trial must be so conducted and 
decided that all men, angels and devils can say, 
"Amen," to both trial and decision. The whole plan 
of salvation was arranged as it was in order that "God 
might be just and the justifier of him which believeth 
in Jesus." The Lord wants us to clean up our record 
so thoroughly, and then live so uprightly, that all the 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 167 

world can fairly and honestly acquiesce in our acquit- 
tal on the judgment day. 

Suppose a man has been dishonest in the past. 
Who can or will condemn him if he pays up every 
cent that he owes? Suppose a man has insulted an- 
other and has done it intentionally and maliciously, 
too. What fair-minded man will condemn him if he 
confesses it and apologizes for it? If a man has lied 
about another, and confesses to the man wronged, 
and corrects it with the one to whom he told the lie, 
what more could he do, and who would expect any 
more? Has the man been spiteful or mean; if he 
confesses it and makes reparation for it, what more 
can he or ought he to do? But if a man should know- 
ingly or maliciously wrong another, and God should 
forgive him without requiring him to rectify his wrong 
IT it is possible, as soon as possible and as far as 
possible, multitudes of both saints and sinners would 
rise up against both him and God on the judgment 
day. Even as it is, some people who do not under- 
stand the case, criticise God's moral government of 
the world. Of course, when men understand all the 
data, and the reasons of God's plan of procedure, their 
objections are silenced. If real cause of criticism ex- 
isted, there would be more criticism as time passed, 
and there would be no way of silencing it, for it would 
be cumulative. 

Restitution is restoring or paying for, or other- 
wise making good, that which was stolen, robbed or 
cheated, or otherwise unlawfully obtained. Repara- 
tion is making confession, apology and atonement for 
injury done to one's feelings, dignity, person, rights, 



168 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

reputation, standing, position or character. A wrong 
done to one's property is more evident than wrongs 
of any other kind. This is because possessions are 
material, and can be seen or handled, and their re- 
moval from their owner can be made clear and is 
easily understood by an ordinary observer. Whereas 
in cases of reparation, there enters in several other 
factors which modify its character. For this reason 
the principle of righting wrongs is more clearly seen 
in restitution than in reparation. 

A man who wants to do right, wants to right his 
wrongs. Yes, and that is one of the first things that 
he wants to do when he repents. Reparation is spon- 
taneous and irrepressible in the soul that loves God 
and man. He does not need either command or per- 
suasion. The man that loves God loves his fellowman, 
and with or without a command, and with or without 
a suggestion, he wants to right his wrongs. Both love 
and justice impel him to do it. So far as is recorded, 
Christ had not said a word to Zaccheus about restitu- 
tion. But when divine love began to move in his soul, 
and a sense of justice awakened, he did that of his 
own accord. — Luke 19 : 8. Reparation and restitution 
naturally follows in the wake of real repentance. 

Under the old Mosaic law, cattle, crops, goods or 
money, etc., were required to be restored one, two, 
four or fivefold the amount stolen, according to cir- 
cumstances. — Ex. 22 : 1-14. When Nathan propounded 
the parable of the ewe lamb to David, David immedi- 
ately and voluntarily cried out, "He shall restore the 
lamb fourfold." He declared further that a man who 
would do such a thing ought to die, thus making the 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 169 

penalty very much stronger than had either God or 
Moses. — II Sam. 12 : 5f. Zaccheus also vowed that if 
he "had taken anything from any man by false accusa- 
tion, I will restore him fourfold." — Luke 19 : 8. 

If it were left for man to make laws and to pre- 
scribe penalties for their violation, most of the laws 
would be much more rigid, and the penalties more 
severe than they are in the Mosaic code. R. G. Inger- 
soll said that the Mosaic law was the most cruel code 
on earth, and that it had hundreds of offenses punish- 
able by death. The fact is, there were only seventeen 
punishable by death, all of which have been punished 
by death in this and in other lands. In England three 
hundred years ago, there were two hundred and 
eighty-three offenses punishable by death. In most 
States of the Union the law requires criminals guilty 
of grand larceny to be sent to the penitentiary, no 
matter whether the theft is restored of not. But the 
Mosaic law released a thief upon the restoration of his 
theft, and the payment of the cost of his arrest and 
conviction. The laws in the United States prior to 
the revolution punished the present felonious offenses 
with death. There were from eighty to one hundred 
offenses punishable by death in most of the States, 
and in one State there were one hundred and fifteen. 
Moreover some of these offenses were perfectly puerile. 
Among them were such as catching fish on another 
man's farm, or killing a rabbit in your neighbor's 
woods ; as if a fish or a rabbit were worth far more than 
a man's life. But the Mosaic law was always reason- 
able and sensible. It did not aim simply at the pun- 
ishment of sin and crime, but at the rectification of all 



170 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

wrongs. The simple punishment of sin and crime is 
not so likely to correct an evil as is the reparation of 
wrong. The mere punishment of sin may not help 
either the sinner or the one injured by his sins, but 
the reparation of wrong will always help both. The 
plan of procedure prescribed by the Old Mosaic law 
will right up wrongs between man and man, and be- 
tween man and the State. It will inculcate a better 
spirit in both. Indeed it prescribes the only wise 
settlement of all difficulties. If the State sends 
a man to state's prison, and the man serves his time 
out ; when he is released, the wrong against his fellow- 
man is still unrighted. The State is satisfied, but the 
individual is not. And really the man is the principal 
factor to reckon with. And when the individual 
settled with his victim in the Mosaic law, the law was 
satisfied too. They are just as applicable today as 
they were three thousand years ago. The most suc- 
cessful evangelists are preaching the doctrine of repar- 
ation and restitution as taught by Moses, and it is 
yielding very salutary results. 

Chas. G. Finney was holding a revival in New 
York City. Among other seekers came a young lady 
who acknowledged herself to be a thief and shop- 
lifter. She became very deeply convicted on account 
of her sins, and came to him for counsel. She con- 
fessed her numerous thefts to him, and asked his 
advice. He advised her to restore all the goods which 
she had stolen. She did so in part. In one case she 
laid the stolen article on the doorstep, rang the door 
bell, and ran away, as she was very much afraid of 
the people at that house. He advised her to return 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 171 

and confess it, lest the theft might be attributed to 
some one else, who possibly might be injured by 
her silence; especially if the people happened to see 
some one walking away when they found the restored 
article. She did not remember where she stole some 
of her articles. He advised her in such case to keep 
them and use them as her own till she should learn who 
the owner was. Then she should restore the stolen 
articles or pay for them. 

There are quite a variety of wrongs to possessions 
to right. There are wrongs to property, or posses- 
sions or purse. Some violate the property rights in 
one way, and some in another. Most people oppose 
plain stealing, rank robbery, or bold burglary. But 
some not only condone the more respectable and legal 
forms of dishonesty, but approve and defend them as 
shrewd business. Advantage in a horse trade; farm- 
ers doping a diseased and heavy horse of patriarchal 
age and usefulness, and selling him for a safe, sound 
and splendid worker just nine years old this very 
Spring; pressing men who are in straitened circum- 
stances, taking mortgages on men's farms or homes, 
making verbal promises contrary to the plain state- 
ments of the written instrument, neglecting to call 
attention to the contents and significance of the writ- 
ten instrument, and even misrepresenting them to the 
illiterate, and then enforcing the written letter, and 
ignoring the verbal promise, or even denying it ; land 
agents combining together to dupe the ignorant and 
unsophisticated ; farmers representing their farms as 
free from all encumbrances of liens, mortgages, deeds 
of trust, back taxes, infant heirs, quit claims, or any- 



172 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

thing else, making thoughtless and ignorant buyers 
pay twice over for what they get, and which was rep- 
resented to them as first class bargains; renters, not 
only using property, but burning fences, destroying 
trees, injuring buildings, and then neglecting and even 
refusing to pay for either rent or damages ; taking ad- 
vantage of men's lack of judgment or sense; making 
boys, girls and women do the work of men, and do it 
at a disadvantage, too, and yet refuse to pay them 
men's wages; compelling employes to take goods on 
wages at an advanced price; physicians and nurses 
recommending each other for special treatment, and 
then dividing the spoils; physicians and surgeons in- 
sisting that nothing less or different from a severe and 
costly surgical operation will save a man's life, limb, 
or health, that they may more effectually extort hard- 
earned money from the ignorant and helpless dupes; 
or physicians doctoring the symptoms instead of the 
disease, giving mere stimulants and not medicine, to 
make the patients believe they are being helped when 
they are not; advising all prescriptions to be filled at 
the drugstore that gives them a rake-off on all cus- 
tomers sent there ; merchants joining in a pool to raise 
the price of goods, and lower the price of produce; 
lawyers advising immediate action and drastic meas- 
ures to be taken by foolish clients, making them be- 
lieve they have a sure and safe case in law, when they 
know they have not, just to extort a fee; selling out 
to opponents for a bribe or a bonus — a case and cause 
for which they have already extorted enormous fees 
to defend and save ; requiring a retainer's fee, and 
then advising a settlement, because it is found that 



THE PRINCIPLES OF RESTITUTION 173 

the case is not safe; preachers pretending to have a 
call to fairer fields and higher salaries, to secure an- 
other call with a better salary at home; evangelists 
magnifying the actual results of their meetings, count- 
ing as converts all who ever expressed an interest or 
a desire or a hope of living a better life, magnifying 
as marvelous and miraculous all that was done, if it 
were done; poultry raisers selling ordinary eggs for 
pure fresh eggs of special breeds, or puncturing, boiling 
or shaking the genuine eggs of good breeds so as to 
prevent hatching, and yet selling them for pure fresh 
eggs of good breeds, thus doing their patrons a 
double wrong; selling as good and fresh, eggs that 
have already been set on and spoiled for any purpose 
whatever; farmers' wives putting stones or salt in 
rolls of butter to give it bulk or weight, or putting 
it up without any care for cleanliness or palatability ; 
dairymen putting plenty of water and chalk in all 
their milk, and then selling it for pure and fresh and 
sweet; — all of these are instances of intentional dis- 
honesty in taking advantage of others in business 
dealings. These few instances might be multiplied. 

Some of these may be permitted and even sanc- 
tioned by legal forms, but statutory legislation will 
never make dishonesty and cheating right in the sight 
of God and honest men. Debts expiring by reason of 
legalized limitation of time are still due. Debts are 
never outlawed in the kingdom of God. Thieves 
never caught, known or even suspected are not re- 
lieved of the duty of restitution by the ignorance of 
their victims, or their own supposed innocence. Re- 
spectable roguery seems to be condemned more bit- 



174 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

terly than is the bold, out-breaking, and dare-devil 
kind. But neither sweetness nor smoothness sanctifies 
the sinfulness of sin, nor the diabolism of dishonesty. 
Money or property of any kind or quantity must be 
restored to their rightful owner before the guilty one 
can find real pardon and peace. God's plan of righting 
all wrongs is the surest, shortest and quickest way to 
the mercy seat. All other methods are only attempts 
to climb up some other way. 



CHAPTER XL 
Principles of Reparation. 

THE duty of reparation is not so clear to most 
people as is the duty of restitution. A wrong to 
property, possessions or purse, is more easily 
seen and understood than is a wrong to one's person, 
dignity, feelings, standing, reputation, character or 
rights. There are so many ameliorating and modifying 
circumstances connected with this class of wrongs that 
ordinary observers are scarcely aware of any wrong 
done. In some instances, a case which at first thought 
seems wrong may upon full investigation seem not 
only permissible, but necessary, not only not repre- 
hensible but entirely justifiable. "Circumstances do 
alter cases." 

Then again, thoughtlessness and ignorance render 
one liable to injure another unconsciously and unin- 
tentionally. For there is such a difference in people's 
tastes, between their likes and dislikes, between their 
preferences and prejudices, that what one prefers, an- 
other cannot endure. Cases have frequently occurred 
where a kindly disposed person has tried to oblige 
another, but seriously wounded him, and sadly of- 
fended him. Many actual wrongs, so far as mere 
consequences are concerned, were wholly uninten- 
tional. Many an intentional favor has been received 
as a serious wrong. The recent cartoons concerning 
"Happy Hooligan," very aptly illustrate this point. 

175 



176 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

"Happy" was always getting into trouble because all 
of his attempted kindnesses were either misunderstood, 
or were not just what their recipient wanted, or more 
emphatically exactly what they did not want. Most 
officious acts are ill-timed attempted kindnesses. They 
are blundering, thoughtless kindnesses. Genuine kind- 
ness is a gracious judicious doing of just what people 
both need and want, and is usually gratefully re- 
ceived. But most performers of officious deeds are 
consummate bores. Such need instruction and not 
rebuke. They have good intentions, but very poor 
judgment. 

There are three factors which make an act right or 
wrong: purpose, manner and consequences. All of 
these factors may be right, or one or more may be 
wrong. We can always control the purpose, and 
usually the manner; but quite often we are entirely 
unable to control or manage the consequences. The 
consequences may not be at all what was intended, no 
matter whether the act be right or wrong. For in- 
stance the Republicans wanted Theodore Roosevelt 
out of the way in politics. They saw that he and his 
political prestige must be reckoned with. So they 
thought they would kindly bury him in the vice- 
presidency. But that was the very means of elevat- 
ing him to the presidency upon the death of McKinley, 
which was the very thing that they did not want. 
Since that time they have tried to bury C. E. Hughes, 
an Ex-Governor of New York, in the ermine robe, and 
seem so far to have succeeded. Sometimes men suc- 
ceed in their plans both good and bad, and in others 
they do not. The failure is sometimes due to lack of 



PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 177 

good judgment ; but in others to the modification of 
unforeseen providences, as in the case of Roosevelt. 
The same was true in the case of Joseph. His brethren 
were very anxious to get rid of him. Their efforts 
led to his final exaltation and promotion, where he 
was more in their way than ever. Some have thought 
that Judas expected that Christ would adroitly escape 
the Jews, even if he did betray the Saviour into wicked 
hands, and that he could make gain at nobody's ex- 
pense, and nobody would be any the wiser. Christ 
had delivered Himself from His enemies at Nazareth 
and at other places. Could He not, and would He 
not do so again? But He did not, and Judas was 
disappointed, say the advocates of this theory. Judas 
could not change the results of the betrayal, though 
he made an effort so to do. And that is the point we 
want to make just here. 

But in spite of ameliorating, modifying and con- 
fusing circumstances, reparation is commanded just 
as clearly and positively as is restitution. In the ser- 
mon on the Mount, Jesus said, "If thou bring thy gift 
to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother 
hath aught against thee ; leave there thy gift before 
the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy 
brother, and then come and offer thy gift." — Mat. 
5 : 23f. That is, if you have wronged your brother, 
you must go and make reparation before you offer 
your gift. A man's gift may be his prayer, praise, 
service or himself. But no matter what it is, the im- 
plication of the text is, that God will not receive a 
man's gifts, until he rights his wrong. All offerings, 
no matter what they were, were required to be with- 



178 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

out blemish. The same principles apply to the New 
Testament dispensation. The New Testament re- 
quires a perfect love, perfect faith, perfect consecra- 
tion and a perfect service. No offering having a 
blemish was accepted under either dispensation. So 
our prayer must be earnest, honest and with faith. 
Praise must be sincere, and consecration must be 
complete. 

Sometimes God blesses people on a credit, when 
he sees that their credit is good, and their purpose 
is pure, honest and steadfast. A deed is already per- 
formed in heart and purpose when men are deter- 
mined to do it. When a man resolves to be noble, 
he is noble. When he resolves to be honest, he is 
honest. So far as character is concerned, a man is 
just exactly what he is determining to be. God sees 
men's purpose, and judges them accordingly. "God 
looketh on the heart," and chooses men according to 
what He sees there. When God sees that men's de- 
termination to repent or to consecrate themselves is so 
strong, settled and fixed that it is practically certain, 
and likely to be thorough and abiding, He forgives 
and receives. If God did not in some instances bless 
people on credit, they would probably be lost. Sup- 
pose that some one has stolen, cheated or robbed 
another of a large sum of money. If he repents a 
short time before he dies, he has neither time nor 
strength to earn sufficient money to pay all his debts 
or thefts. Were his salvation to depend upon his 
making full restitution immediately or at all, there 
would be no hope for him. But when a man gets to 
that point in his penitence where he is determined to 



PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 179 

pay up what he can, all he can, and as soon as he can, 
his heart is right, and God will forgive him, and men 
should do so, too. 

Under this head come the wrongs which persons 
do to their fellowmen in trying to misrepresent them, 
or to injure them intentionally or maliciously. There 
is not necessarily any hatred connected with wrongs 
to the property or possessions of other people. A man 
can steal, cheat and overreach, and yet not have any 
malice in his heart toward his victims. Neither are 
they always, or even usually caused by any malig- 
nant emotion. Most wrongs to the possessions of 
others are caused by purely selfish feelings. It is not 
to injure that other fellow, but to help one's self, that 
causes such sins. But of course genuine love, either 
christian or natural, would prevent one man from 
wronging another as to his possessions. Love has a 
negative as well as a positive element in it. Real love 
refrains from doing evil as well as never neglects to 
do good to others. 

Occasionally, though very rarely, there are some 
ameliorating, modifying circumstances, which would 
almost seem to justify stealing. To illustrate; a man 
or his family might be starving, and it might be im- 
possible to get anything to eat by fair and honest 
means, for money or trade, for labor or on credit. 
During floods and fires when men are in straitened 
circumstances they think nothing of helping them- 
selves to other people's property. Men, who under 
ordinary circumstances, would not think of stealing, 
just take what they feel they must have, and nobody 
thinks of indicting them, or of accusing them of dis- 



180 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

honesty. This is the same principle on which Chirst 
justified David and the men who were with him in 
entering the temple, and eating the shewbread, which 
it was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the 
priests.— I Sam. 21 : 1-6 ; Mat. 12 : 3f. Moreover the 
Mosaic law gave a hungry man the privilege of going 
into another man's vineyard or orchard, cornfield or 
wheat field, and satsisfying his hunger. But it did not 
permit him to carry away any fruit or grain, or to do 
any injury to the trees or growing grain. Christ and 
His apostles went through the grainfields and helped 
themselves. The Pharisees criticised them for doing 
so on the Sabbath day, but made no objection to them 
helping themselves to another man's grain when 
hungry. — Mat. 12 : If. God owns the earth, with all 
that it is and holds and grows, and claims the right to 
let his creatures which are starving relieve their pres- 
ent hunger. He has a claim over the ordinary civil 
owners, and exercises it. 

But in the case of wrongs to feelings, or sense of 
honor, reputation or character, there is usually more 
or less malice. Of course it is possible to injure a per- 
son in this way unintentionally. It is not a rare thing 
either to injure some one by a thoughtless word or a 
careless deed. Indeed some of the worst wounds to 
feelings or to a sense of honor have been caused by 
thoughtlessness and carelessness. Such wrongs are 
classed as sins of ignorance, and need explanation rath- 
er than rectification ; but rectification is needed if posi- 
tive injury is done. But the Old Testament required all 
sins of ignorance to be repented of, and atoned for, 
when known. Hurts due to misunderstanding need 



PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 181 

only explanation. This includes those acts where 
neither good nor evil were intended, and also those 
where only good was intended, but the intention was 
misunderstood, or the act was providentially hindered 
from accomplishing what was intended. Sometimes 
kind friends have brought in food to their sick neigh- 
bors, and it has made them sicker still. But it was in- 
tended as a kindness. This might be called a sin of 
ignorance, too. 

A wrong to one's reputation or character is gen- 
erally a far greater wrong than taking his money or 
property. Both sacred and profane, as well as both 
poetical and prose writers, agree on this. Shakespeare 
says, "Whoso steals my purse steals trash. But whoso 
filches from me my good name, robs me of that which 
enriches not him, and makes me poor indeed." Civil 
law, in making the penalty for libel and slander so 
strong, has recognized the heinousness of them both. 
Thousands of dollars have been asked as damages for 
libel and slander, and have been granted, too. The 
loss of money or property may be retrieved sooner 
or later; and the loss of it may work but little or no 
injury, even if it is not recovered. But a very little 
whisper of slander may work an injury which may be 
lasting, painful and irretrievable. Position, standing, 
influence and respect may be lost and never recovered. 
The loss of a good name is generally much more bitter 
and lasting than the loss of money or property. "A 
good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and 
loving favor than silver and gold." — Prov. 22 : 1 ; "A 
good name is better than precious ointment." — Eccl. 
7: 1. The fact is, in many instances, a good name is 



182 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

worth money itself. Blackmailing is another serious 
wrong. It is offering one an alternative of two wrongs ; 
and giving people the choice of losing money or repu- 
tation. 

One of the meanest and most contemptible things 
conceivable is for one man falsely to accuse another to 
save his own reputation, and a reputation which does 
not justly belong to him. This is very much like the 
pickpockets in large cities crying out, "Look out for 
pickpockets," or "Stop thief," to divert attention from 
themselves. It adds hypocrisy to dishonesty, and 
would injure others to save themselves. This spirit is 
very well exemplified in partisan politics. One poli- 
tician very often abuses another to divert attention 
from himself. Judas Iscariot illustrates another phase 
of the wrong, and its reparation. He had not be- 
trayed Christ on account of personal malice, but only 
for money. He had the safety of Christ in his own 
hands, especially previous to the betrayal. But for 
money he exposed Christ to both trial and death. He 
repented, confessed his sin, and restored the money, 
which was nothing more nor less than a real bribe. 
Here there was no real love. But even a sense of 
justice would not permit Judas to keep the money, 
though its retention would not injure Christ in the 
least, nor its restoration help him. Its restoration 
however would simply be the seal of his sincerity 
stamped upon his confession, "I have sinned in that 
I have betrayed innocent blood." — Mat. 27:4.' 

Under this head come also that class of wrongs 
called injustice before the civil law. This injustice 
may be caused by the influence of preference, preju- 



PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 183 

dice, bribe, fear or policy. It may be done by the 
false testimony of a witness, or by an unfair decision 
of a juror or judge, or by the legal manipulation of 
unscrupulous lawyers. It may be due to either plain- 
tiff or defendant unduly influencing any or all of the 
aforesaid parties by gifts or bribes on the one hand, 
or by threats and intimidation on the other. But no 
matter by whom or by what means or in what man- 
ner or for what purpose, they have been committed, 
wrongs against the civil rights of the people must 
be repaired. Neither secrecy, nor mutual oaths or 
vows, nor desire for personal safety, neither pref- 
erence, prejudice, nor desire for popularity, position, 
power or pleasure, can furnish a sufficient excuse for 
the commission of acts of injustice either in courts, 
or simply in society. Those guilty of crimes against 
justice can never find pardon or peace unless and until 
they repent, and make full reparation and confession. 
Most of the miscarriages of justice are caused by a 
failure to secure the rights of the poor or weak, are 
represented in the Scriptures by the fatherless and 
the widow. The rich, powerful or prominent rarely 
get their full quota of punishment, and usually be- 
yond their rights in cases of litigation. Most cases, 
both civil and criminal, are manipulated in their favor. 
It is my judgment that cases of this kind are more 
rarely repaired than are any other kinds of wrong. So 
many seem to feel that all is fair in law, as well as 
in love and war, if only it favors them. Nevertheless 
there are found a few men who have had the integrity 
to pay debts which had been outlawed, when they have 
turned to God. But fewer still who have the con- 



184 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

science and the integrity to repair wrongs against oth- 
ers, when the civil courts have decided in their favor. 

A wrong against another injures the wrong-doer 
as well as his victim. Such wrongs will sooner or later 
humiliate the wrong-doer even more than they do the 
one wronged. God often puts in subjection those who 
misuse their influence, liberty or authority over others. 
Those who violate the civil law are put into sub- 
jection to the civil law. Those who obey the law 
are made free from its inflictions by their obedience. 
Those who violate the natural law must suffer the 
consequences, too. Eve misused her influence over 
Adam, and so was put into subjection to him, not 
because she was a woman, but because of her trans- 
gression, and her influence for evil. 

As humiliation is a part of real repentance; it is 
also a part of all just punishment. Confession and 
reparation are not only a recognition of our sinfulness 
and unworthiness, and their just deserts; but also a 
willingness to receive our just deserts. Paul said 
to the Jewish Sanhedrin, "If I have committed any- 
thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die/' — Acts 
25 : 11. Genuine conviction carries with it a feeling 
of obligation that a transgressor ought to suffer for 
his transgression both according to its kind and quan- 
tity, and penitent sinners and criminals so punish 
themselves. Men have mourned because they have 
caused others to mourn. Some have denied themselves 
of comforts because they have unjustly deprived others 
of them. Many forms of voluntary penance are sug- 
gested by the wrongs done by transgressors to their 
fellowman. 



PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 185 

A wrong to one's feelings or sense of honor, dignity 
or self-respect, is more easily seen and felt than de- 
scribed. Sometimes it is not the deprivation of prop- 
erty, nor detraction from the reputation, nor the 
injury to, nor the ruin of, character, but an unkind- 
ness shown, or an insult offered. In the case of rob- 
bery, stealing, cheating or over-reaching and oppres- 
sion, there is not necessarily any ill-will. Of course 
there is a lack of any positive love; for positive love, 
either christian or natural, would preclude them. 
Sometimes thieves, cheats, robbers, and burglars 
show a sort of kindness and courtesy to those whom 
they rob or cheat. Indeed some robbers have been 
known to be very kind and polite to their victims. 
But social sweetness is not the soul of honor; neither 
is studied smoothness the essence of moral righteous- 
ness. So neither will any amount of urbanity or 
kindness sanctify any of the serious sins of life. Some 
will pat you caressingly on the back while stabbing 
you in the back. But no amount of petting or 
patting will excuse a sin or crime, nor atone for it. 

But in the case of wilful lying, intentional mis- 
representation, insults or unkindness, there is usually 
an inexcusable malice at the bottom of it. When 
there is any genuine wrong done to one, the injured 
one may feel, show or act resentment. And there may 
be some reason for it. But in the former case, the 
incensed one wants to go beyond the bounds of 
justice. In the case of real wrong against one, he 
never needs to lie or misrepresent, in trying to secure 
his rights, or just dues. The statement of the plain 
bare facts is enough for that. Occasionally one 



186 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

feels that he must exaggerate a little because the other 
party to the dispute does the same. But usually quar- 
rels are not settled by unfair statements. Troubles are 
rarely ever settled till both parties are willing to do 
the fair thing. And no one with any sense of justice 
wants to misrepresent, or has any desire for more 
than his dues. It is the desire for more than justice 
that prompts lying and misrepresentation. So many 
are like the man who consulted a lawyer to secure 
his assistance to extricate him from trouble. The 
lawyer told him that he would endeavor to see that he 
got justice. The man replied, "It is not justice that 
I want, but mercy." The great majority of litigants 
in law want not their dues, but more than their dues. 
The just man is an honest man, and the honest man 
is always fair. Justice, fairness and honesty always 
go together. But no matter what has prompted pre- 
varication or misrepresentation, all statements aside 
from or beyond the truth, require rectification. When 
a man's soul is in such a condition that he "desires 
truth in the inward parts," he desires all his state- 
ments in regard to the past, present and future to be 
true. 

To right an intentional wrong is a far harder task 
than to rectify a mere mistake. The confession of 
having had a mean malicious spirit is much harder 
than to admit of making many blunders. For this 
reason, too, many guilty of serious sins will frankly 
acknowledge that they have made many mistakes, 
but will stoutly refuse to admit the commission of a 
single sin. Very few people will candidly acknowledge 
that they have tried to misrepresent another, or to 



PRINCIPLES OF REPARATION 187 

insult him. Fewer still will admit that they have 
tried to insult another if they have done it in polite 
or sneaking manner. Usually if one has tried to in- 
sult another politely, he will politely deny it. I verily 
believe that many will be lost simply because they 
would' rather take their chances in eternity than to con- 
fess or right such wrongs. Furthermore the people 
who will insult another in a polite or sneaking man- 
ner, or wrong another in a sly way, or who have been 
guilty of little wrongs or injustices, which they think 
will never be discovered, will usually become indig- 
nant, and denounce as mean and suspicious any in- 
jured person who should ever in the least hint at 
their wrongs, or who do not believe that they walk in 
all the commandments and ordinances blameless. 
When such people have nothing to say in their own 
defense they defend themselves by abusing those who 
accuse or suspect them. Such a disposition and con- 
duct are radically wrong, and must be corrected before 
such a sinner can ever find pardon and peace. The 
lack of such reparation and repentance has kept many 
a soul in darkness and despair. Malice and anger, 
jealousy and envy, blind the soul so that it cannot 
discern delicate truths or balance weighty ones. Nev- 
ertheless people can usually see enough truth under 
all circumstances to know the right, and to save the 
soul. 



CHAPTER XII. 
The Principles of Confession. 

THERE is a general obligation for men to con- 
fess their sins. It is enforced in both the Old 
and New Testaments, but especially in the 
latter. It would be best for human nature if con- 
fession were made even if the Bible did not require it. 
It is a condition and preparation for forgiveness on 
the part of God. "If we confess our sins, He is faith- 
ful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
from all unrighteousness." — I John 1:9. It is com- 
manded as a preparation for prayer. "Confess your 
faults one to another, and pray one for another." — 
Jas. 5 : 16. It accompanies righteousness and salva- 
tion. "With the heart man believeth unto righteous- 
ness, but with the mouth confession is made unto 
salvation." — Rom. 10 : 10. Confession is a means of 
temporal as well as spiritual success, and the lack 
of it prevents prosperity. "He that covereth his sins 
shall not prosper ; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh 
them shall have mercy." — Prov. 28 : 13. Confession 
of one's own sins and the sins of others brings not 
only answer to prayer, but also success in christian 
work, and visions of the present and the future. — 
Dan. 9 : 12. 

These commands seem to be general injunctions 
applicable to all people and to all cases, either serious 
or light, and no matter whether any one is injured or 

18® 



THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFESSION 189 

offended or not. For let it be understood that the 
obligation to confess does not depend upon the in- 
jured one's knowledge of your wrongs. A man whom 
one has wronged may be lying unconscious and at the 
point of death, or may have moved beyond your 
knowledge or the reach of your vile slanders. Yet 
you may owe it to his standing and the satisfaction 
of his friends, to correct the impressions of your mis- 
representations. The person slandered may have died 
long since, but you owe it to his relatives and friends 
to relieve them of the odium of unfounded slanders. 
Men on their dying bed have had to confess to mur- 
ders for which others had already been hung. A 
man's family and friends have rights as well as him- 
self. 

There are several instances of confession in the 
Bible. Judas Iscariot had not wronged Christ as 
to his possessions ; neither had he misrepresented 
Christ, nor insulted Him, so far as we know. Never- 
theless his attitude toward Him, and his betrayal of 
Christ, was such that he wronged Christ, and injured 
His feelings, standing and safety. He seemed to fail 
to realize the full force of the results of the betrayal 
till "he saw that Christ was condemned."— Matt. 27 : 3. 
In his case as in so many others, he never realized 
the full force of the wrong till it was committed. It 
was the sense of the sad results of the betrayal which 
wrought conviction in Judas, and wrung confession 
from him. The other case was that of the prodigal 
son. He had not stolen from his father, nor de- 
frauded him. He had not misrepresented him, nor 
intentionally insulted him. But his demand for his 



190 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

portion of the goods, and his departure from home, 
while apparently innnocent in themselves, really ex- 
pressed dissatisfaction and selfishness. In that way 
it was a practical insult to his kind old father. He 
did not manifest the proper spirit for a son. So when 
he came under conviction he said, "Father, I have 
sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no 
more worthy to be called thy son." Then comes 
what expresses the true spirit of all repentance. He 
requested his father to "make me as one of thy hired 
servants." — Luke 15 : 17-21. A person truly penitent 
is willing to take just what he deserves in the way 
of punishment for his sins, although he may not want 
to take more than he deserves. When a man objects 
to the strict requirements of God's law, to the pun- 
ishments for their violations, to the pungency of his 
suffering therefor, and to God's providential punish- 
ments and dealings, he is not quite penitent. Com- 
plete penitence requires full resignation to all the 
will of God in punishment as well as in suffering. 

I. Sins of all kinds and degrees have to be con- 
fessed sooner or later to God or to man as the cir- 
cumstances may be. God requires nothing useless. 
Every thing is for a purpose, and for a good purpose, 
too. So it is here. There are many reasons why 
God should require confessions from the culprits in 
His kingdom. Time and space forbid the mention 
and discussion of all. But a proper understanding of 
the question can be had only by considering a few 
of them. The fundamental principles of confession 
should be thoroughly understood. 

1. In the first place, confession vindicates the char- 



THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFESSION 191 

acter of God. Sin is a wilful violation of divine law. 
Confession is not only an admission of the transgres- 
sion of God's law, but it implies also a recognition of 
the righteousness of His law. Confession of sin as 
sin is a tacit recognition of the righteousness of God, 
for no man confesses his sin as long as he refuses to 
acknowledge the justice of God, or the righteousness 
Of His law. So confession of sin becomes, in a way, 
a testimony to the character of God. And men's con- 
fession of sin as sin justifies God, and acquits Him 
of all blame.— Job 40:8-14; Ps. 51:4; Rom. 3:4. As 
long as men try to justify themselves they try also 
to find fault with the divine administration, and espe- 
cially with the law of God, as found in His word. But 
when they become penitent, and begin to confess 
their sins, they then begin to honor God and His 
word. When the dying thief began to confess his 
sins he began to defend Christ. At first both thieves 
railed on Christ. But finally one repented, and re- 
buked the other, and said, that they were justly con- 
demned, "for we receive the due reward of our deeds ; 
but this man hath done nothing amiss." — Luke 
23 : 40f. When the people were trying to justify 
themselves, they said, "Release unto us Barabbas, but 
crucify the Christ." But when they repent, they honor 
and exalt Christ. Impenitent sinners nearly always 
blame some one else for their sins, and sometimes the 
very one who is endeavoring to help them. When 
they begin to confess their sins they cease to blame 
other people. So as a rule impenitent sinners are not 
in a condition of mind to do justice to God or good 
people either till he repents. 



192 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

2. Related to this is another fact frequently over- 
looked. Confessing sin glorifies God. As sin is a 
rebellion against God, and a disrespect for God; so 
confession of sin reinstates God as a rightful ruler 
over men's hearts, and implies a belief in His right to 
universal rulership. All enemies shall be put under 
His feet when "every knee shall bow, and every 
tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of the Father."— Phil. 2:9-11; Josh. 7:19-21. 
Furthermore, confession of sin not only acknowledges 
the right and authority of God's dominion, but admit- 
ting the blameworthiness of sin implies also a recog- 
nition of God's knowledge, ability and willingness 
to save from sin ; otherwise there is no hope of over- 
coming temptation, if God cannot save from sin. The 
laws of moral principles are very much like a teeter- 
board. When one end goes up the other must go 
down. When a man exalts God, sin must go down. 
If sin is exalted and condoned, so much is God and 
His word disparaged. "The wicked walk on every 
side, when the vilest men are exalted." — Ps. 12 : 8. 
"Ye that love the Lord, hate evil."— Ps. 97: 10. 

3. Confession of Christ is really an admission that 
He is our last and only hope of salvation from sin. 
Usually the unregenerate try everything else before 
they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Confessing 
Christ as the only Savior from sin is one way of con- 
fessing not only the sinfulness and heinousness of 
sin, but also its tremendous dominating power over 
unregenerate men, which nothing but the power of an 
omnipotent Savior can break. Only the Lion of the 
tribe of Judah can break every chain. No other one 



THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFESSION 193 

can. So we see that confession of sin honors the 
triune God. It honors the Father as the Creator and 
sovereign Ruler of the moral universe ; Jesus Christ as 
the all-sufficient Savior and Redeemer; and the Holy 
Spirit as our support and sanctifier. 

4. Again confession of sin frees the Church and 
cause of Christ from reproach. Sin against God re- 
flects upon Christ as an all-sufficient Savior. It also 
injures the Church which is His body. It discourages 
His members in their own christian lives, cripples 
their faith in helping others, and hurts their dignity, 
feelings and sense of honor. Men usually decline to 
join a Church while it is under a just reproach, for 
fear its doctrines or practice is bad, or has an evil 
influence. But confession is a sort of an admission 
that the Church, its doctrines, practices, members and 
Savior are right, but that the man himself has been 
wrong. When under reproach from open sin in its 
members, there are two ways in which the Church 
can be relieved from reproach. One is for the member 
to withdraw; and the other is for the Church to re- 
prove and disown the crooked member. The easiest 
and wisest way possible is for the member to confess 
his sins, where he will do so, and reform his life. 

5. Just as soon as a man submits himself to God, 
God makes him either a soldier or a sentinel for 
righteousness. It is the divine purpose to marshal 
all the moral forces that make for righteousness, and 
if possible use them as an army of conquest. The first 
thing which God requires of a man when he turns to 
God is to warn others of the sins which he committed, 
and of the pitfalls into which he fell. He knows the 



194 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

temptations and the snares, and the dreadful results 
of falling therein. No one understands them so well 
as he. Others can speak from faith and observation; 
but he from actual knowledge and experience. A 
knowledge of this fact appeals to other men, who 
realize that he knows their temptations, and under- 
stands how to warn and advise others, and also sym- 
pathizes with them in their struggles, difficulties and 
defeats. — Lev. 5 : 5. Redeemed drunkards have always 
been able to win more drunkards to righteousness than 
has any one else. Each man can win his own former 
class of companions in sin, because they feel that he 
knows and understands their faults and foibles, weak- 
ness and wickedness. They feel also that a former 
companion in sin cannot reproach them so much as 
might one who had never been guilty of like sins. 

6. Confession of sin secures and maintains one's 
own personal influence for good. Confession is a re- 
pudiation of one's past sinful course. Refusing to 
confess is virtually saying, "I do not care if I did sin. 
I would do it again under the same circumstances." 
But when a man confesses his sins, he acknowledges 
his own defection from duty, throws himself on the 
mercy of both friends and foes, and looks for leniency 
and love from both God and man. When he con- 
fesses, men regard him as earnest and sincere. When 
a man confesses, he is not only to acknowledge that he 
committed a certain act, but he is to confess that in 
performing such an act, he committed a sin. Mere 
confession of sin in general does not make much of an 
impression. For many old sinners and hypocrites will 
do that, while stoutly denying their specific sins. The 



THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFESSION 195 

divine law said, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful 
and just to forgive us our sins." — I John 1:9. This 
means not sin general, but sins in particular. We 
repent of sins in particular, not so much sin in 
general. 

7. Confession relieves the confessor of the charge 
of hypocrisy. No man can play a double role and be 
honest. The man who professes righteousness with- 
out confessing his former unrighteousness is usually 
suspected of holding secretly to his former evil life. 
Confession is a formal and public renunciation of one's 
former sinful life. This public acknowledgment of 
one's past evil life puts the confessor at swords' points 
with his former sinful associations. Confession is a 
practical burning of bridges which connects a penitent 
with his former evil life. His former associates will 
know if he still practices his former evil habits, and 
will report it. Such confession also makes a man more 
or less ashamed to return to his former evil practices. 
It also usually makes a man more determined against 
his sins, and to practice righteousness. For this 
reason it is always a good thing to get a young con- 
vert to acknowledge, renounce and denounce all his 
former sins. 

8. Confession of sin usually opens the heart of both 
saint and sinner to the penitent. Nothing seems to 
melt some folks like a confession of sin. Especially is 
this true of the one to whom the confession is made, 
no matter whether it is merely a humble expression of 
one's short-comings, or an apology for past wrongs. 
But few people will or can resist a humble, sincere, 
manly apology for past injuries. — Luke 15:17-21. 



196 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

The most effective kind of preaching is usually done 
when some penitent sinner breaks down in humble 
contrition, and confesses to his former sins and wick- 
edness. The writer has no doubt that if all professing 
christians were to confess all their sins which they 
have committed against their fellowmen, there would 
break out such a revival as would surprise even the 
most sanguine. The greatest hindrance to the cause 
of truth and righteousness is the refusal of wicked men 
to confess their sins. Sometimes a revival meeting 
will be blocked till some stubborn person breaks 
down, confesses his sins and turns to God. Many a 
revival has started by a humble confession on the part 
of some sinner or of some backslidden Church mem- 
ber. The work is hindered more by the lack of con- 
fession on the part of professing christians than on 
the part of acknowledged sinners. 

9. God wants the people as well as the priest to 
confess their sins. God answered Daniel's prayer for 
himself and for his people when he confessed his own 
sins, and the sins of his people. — Dan. 9 : 20f. The 
priest was required to confess not only his own sins, 
but also the sins of his people. — Lev. 16:20ff; Neh. 
1:6; Heb. 9 : 7. This common confession is necessary 
because of our mutual influence over each other for 
evil, and because of our responsibility for each other's 
conduct more or less. Moreover this duty of common 
confession forbids our defending another man in his 
sins, and calling wrong right, and right wrong. The 
prophet pronounces a woe upon those who confuse 
moral principles. He said; "Woe unto them that call 
evil good, and good evil ; that put darkness for light, 



THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFESSION 197 

and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and 
sweet for bitter." — Isa. 5 :20. 

II. There are a number of observations to be made 
on the general principles of confession. Confession in 
the Scriptures is used in two senses. One is an ac- 
knowledgment of having been in the wrong, and the 
other is, that a person needs spiritual help. The very 
acknowledgment of having done wrong implies that 
the confessor intends to correct his wrong conduct, or 
that he desires to do so. That is the reason why the 
confession of sin makes the confessor more ready to 
receive help, and others more ready to give it. Then 
the confession of sin makes the confessor's friends 
sympathize with him in his efforts to reform, and to 
lend him aid and encouragement. Sometimes even 
sinners who care not to repent themselves for the 
present, will encourage some other sinner who desires 
to repent. 

1. Keeping many faults in secret only aggravates 
the faults concealed. All sins must be confessed either 
to God or to man, according to circumstances. Sins 
against man must be confessed to man. If they are not 
so confessed when circumstances permit it, conceal- 
ment seems to aggravate and irritate the soul. All sins 
against others must be confessed to those wronged, 
not necessarily to anybody else. The confession of 
sins to others besides the one wronged, or instead of 
to the one wronged, may cause one more trouble in- 
stead of getting him out of trouble. Outside persons 
acting as or treated as "father confessor" often make 
more instead of less trouble. As a rule, such persons 
are no help to either party. The Savior's advice to 



198 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

"tell him his fault between thee and him alone," is 
the wisest.— Mat. 18 : 15. 

2. The confession of one's faults or sins frees the 
conscience, and the person from a feeling of hypocrisy, 
and in some degree from the feeling of condemnation. 
— Pss. 32 and 51. This is partly because the acknowl- 
edgment of sin is a practical repudiation of that sin, 
and puts one's self on record against the sin confessed. 
And as suggested before, confession is also a kind of 
burning of bridges behind one, to prevent his return 
to his former sins. David's sins oppressed and 
troubled him day and night till he confessed them. He 
found immediate relief and forgiveness when he con- 
fessed.— Ps. 32 : 1-5. 

3. The acknowledgment of sin very often causes 
others to avoid it. In fact, personal confession is one 
of the most effective ways of preaching. This accounts 
for the fact that redeemed toughs are so effective in 
evangelistic work in reaching other sinners of like char- 
acter. Their success is due not so much to their able 
preaching as it is to their personal confession and 
testimony. No one can warn against a sin so effec- 
tively as those who have been redeemed from it- Their 
warning too, is more effective because they are more 
in earnest about it. For they feel the need of it more 
than does any one else. 

Nothing begets mutual love like confession and 
reparation. The confession of sin to the one wronged 
or to the offended will cause the offender and offended 
to love each other, and especially if the offended meets 
the offender with a hearty forgiveness, and the con- 
fession is complete and earnest. And the acknowl- 



THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFESSION 199 

edgment of a wrong will usually lead the offended 
to forgive the offender. Of course there is always a 
possibility of failure in anything that depends upon a 
man's free moral agency. But the probabilities all 
point in the direction of the above postulates. 



CHAPTER XIII. 
The Conditions and Limitations of Confession. 

AS CONFESSION to men is for the purpose of 
making reparation for wrongs done to them, 
and of regaining their confidence, so one's con- 
fidence must be co-extensive with the wrong he has 
done, and the confidence he has forfeited through his 
wrong-doing. To this may occasionally be added that 
sometimes a wrong-doer may have lost the confidence 
of the Church or of the community through his mis- 
doings ; and in such a case, a public confession may be 
wisest and best, and required by the exigencies of the 
case. Circumstances may altar cases here too. On 
one hand, too much public confession may be taken as 
an attempt to curry favor by overdoing civilities and 
acknowledgments. On the other hand, relieving a 
Church from disgrace and reproach may require a pub- 
lic confession from a member who has been a hypo- 
crite or backslidden. 

I. Christ gave several rules which were appro- 
priate and very wise for the proper and complete dis- 
position of all troubles, both serious and light. He 
not only told men what to do, but also the proper order 
and procedure. As a rule, these advices are applicable 
to all cases, and should not be omitted nor varied, ex- 
cept for very good and strong reasons. 

1. His first rule was, "If thy brother trespass 
against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee 

200 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 201 

and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained 
thy brother." — Mat. 18 : 15. So wrongs done only to 
one, and known only to one, need be confessed to 
none but that one. This is not simply a permission, 
but a positive command. Christ re-enforced this com- 
mand by similar advice in another place. "Take heed 
to yourselves; If thy brother trespass against thee, 
rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him." — Luke 
17 : 3. God does not design that the knowledge of 
evil shall spread. Telling other people instead of the 
offender makes new wounds instead of healing old 
ones. The Psalmist put it very wisely when he said, 
in declaring the rules of admission to God's kingdom, 
"He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor taketh 
up a reproach against his neighbor." — Ps. 15 : 4. This 
states both sides of the question. No one is allowed 
needlessly to spread the knowledge of a wrong, neith- 
er is any one allowed to receive and pass on a wrong 
that he has heard about. Nobody is allowed to start 
a mere slander; neither is any one allowed to receive 
it, or to circulate it. It does not help the one to whom 
a slander is told, but often excites his suspicion and 
opposition. That is usually what it is told for. It 
does not help the offender, but it is more likely to 
exasperate him. So the divine rule is, "Go and tell 
him his fault between thee and him alone." 

2. When private and solitary admonition fails, 
Christ tells us plainly what to do. "But if he will not 
hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that 
in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word 
may be established." — Mat. 18 : 16. His advice is to 
take one or two, not everybody. This forbids spread- 



202 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

ing it any further till more efforts are made at recon- 
ciliation. If these further efforts succeed, the matter is 
to be dropped. One or two more are to be taken as 
protectors to the one making efforts at reconciliation, 
and to re-enforce his former persuasion. These extra 
witnesses are to help reconcile, and not hinder. These 
extra witnesses should be friends to both parties, and 
not to one only, lest they hinder by prejudicing the 
other party against their personal friend. 

3. Christ gives further specific directions of pro- 
cedure when all these preliminary efforts fail. "And 
if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church ; 
but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto 
thee as a heathen man, and a publican." — v. 17. The 
Church is to be informed and its aid invoked against 
obstinate offenders against the law and order of the 
Church, as well as against its individual members. 
This effort too, is not for judgment and punishment, 
but for reconciliation. God is very long-suffering, and 
wants his people to be so too. When all possible 
human efforts fail, then only have we the divine per- 
mission to cease further efforts or hopes for recon- 
ciliation. Even at such a juncture, no expressed per- 
mission is given to tell it to the world. Such may be 
allowed, but if so, it is not expressed. But the manner 
of the putting of previous permissions to tell would 
imply no further permissions to tell others, but simply 
and quietly to drop the matter. Permission to explain 
may be given because of the disposition of some peo- 
ple to misrepresent the real state of the difficulties they 
refuse to settle. 

II. The application of the principles just discussed 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 203 

will settle most all questions arising' from personal 
differences and difficulties. The Bible is a book of 
principles, and not a book of rules. Rules may change 
with circumstances and conditions ; but the great prin- 
ciples of righteousness never do. Rules are usually 
an attempt to apply general principles to present con- 
ditions. The application of the aforesaid principles 
as well as their specific statement, are appropriate for 
present-day conditions and difficulties. 

1. Concerning confession there are two points es- 
pecially which need illumination. Both hang upon the 
same general principle. The first point which needs 
emphasis is, that when a wrong is confessed or re- 
paired, the confession is to be made to the one who 
was wronged. God forbids that the knowledge of 
wrong shall spread needlessly. He does not want 
the wronged to tell anybody ; neither does he want 
the wrong-doer to do so. This and what follows indi- 
cate that news of sin must not spread if it can pos- 
sibly be avoided. In Ps. 15 : 3, a man is forbidden 
"to take up a reproach against his neighbor." In Eph. 
5 : 3, 12, some things are not to be mentioned. All of 
this implies that if wrongs are mentioned at all, they 
must be mentioned only to those who have been 
wronged, to the wrong-doer, to some who may need 
protection from imposition, and to those who can in- 
struct and help them in adjusting their wrongs or dif- 
ferences. 

2. There are some people who are thoughtless or 
fanatical, who teach that all sins, no matter whether 
public or private, and no matter whether decent or 
modest or not, must be confessed in public. Those 



204 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

who teach such a doctrine are generally of the mali- 
cious, gossipy, busybody disposition, which hungers for 
the obscene and the slanderous. Public confessions 
only gratify the evil desires of such folks, and give 
greater occasion for, and incentives to evil. Public 
confession of private sins will often do more harm 
than good. It is the one who has been wronged that 
needs the confession and reparation, and not the pub- 
lic. I heard of a Church which got as an evangelist to 
hold a meeting, a minister who taught that all sins 
of whatever kind or degree, should be confessed in 
public. Some of the christians who had confessed to 
God and the wronged years before, and had been for- 
given by both God and the offended, had lived a saved 
live above reproach, and had won the respect of all 
by an upright walk and a Godly conversation, and were 
living lives of usefulness and piety, were made to feel 
and believe that they ought to make a public confes- 
sion of private sins and wrongs committed years be- 
fore they were even saved or made any profession. 
They publicly confessed private wrongs which had 
been years before confessed privately to man and 
God, and had been forgiven by both. The result was 
that crowds of curiosity-seekers came to Church to 
hear private and sensual sins of various kinds con- 
fessed. These were all discussed by the public for 
weeks to come. Some who had formerly lived re- 
formed lives of integrity and self-respect, became the 
butt of ridicule to many, and were discouraged and 
disgusted with themselves and with gossipers, back- 
slid and were never reclaimed. Although that was 
years ago, that Church has never recovered from its 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 205 

awful folly, and the result of such unscriptural teach- 
ing. 

3. Another question of vital importance here is 
that of priestly absolution and confession. The same 
principles which decided the status and application of 
the former question, settle this one also. Nothing 
except confusion and ignorance, and occasionally in- 
ability to handle one's own case properly, necessitates 
priestly confession, and that only for instruction or 
mediation, and not for absolution and penance. Some- 
times a priest can act as a kind of a mediator between 
folks who have been enstranged, and help them in 
adjusting their difficulties, and in becoming reconciled. 
Otherwise wrongs are to be confessed only to the 
wronged, and to nobody else. The priest is the natural 
spiritual instructor of the ignorant. And if any one 
needs spiritual counsel, the priest ought not only to 
be willing, but able to give it. He ought to be willing 
to act as a mediator too, whenever occasion demands it. 

But it is possible to confess to a priest, and be just 
as far from true repentance as before. Moreover 
it is so much easier to confess to a priest than it is to 
the one who has been wronged. Most people, too, 
would far rather confess to a priest than to confess 
and make reparation to the one wronged. But many 
priests insist upon confession, not because they want 
to help the ignorant and hesitating, but to keep the 
people at their mercy, and in ecclesiastical bondage. 
For the priesthood of confessional Churches not only 
show a class spirit, but hold their parishioners in 
ecclesiastical bondage, and "lord it over God's heri- 
tage." — I Pet. 5 : 3. The priesthood of confessional 



206 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

Churches are more desirous to have their laity confess 
to the priests than they are for men to make confes- 
sion and reparation to the ones wronged. Their pur- 
pose and plan is not so much to get men right with 
God or their fellowman, but rather to get them where 
they can hold them in bondage, and the laity of such 
Churches are always held in bondage to the priesthood. 

The results of priestly confession are not commend- 
ing to the conscience. It is a fact very patent to all, 
that neither the ministers nor members of sacerdotal 
Churches are noted for their piety. This broad fact 
shows that priestly confession does not make saints, 
nor produce saintliness either in the priests or in the 
people. The very form, manner, and substance of 
confession may bring temptations to both priest and 
confessor. The facts of history prove this argument. 
The confessional usually makes people worse instead 
of better. But God's ordinances are designed to help 
people's souls and not hinder them. As every tree is 
known by its fruits, so also is this tree known by its 
fruits. If so, it is a very bad tree. 

4. Another species of wrong is that when a con- 
fession and reparation has been made for any kind of 
a wrong, it is unjust, odious and malicious for the one 
to whom the confession has been made, or to whom 
reparation or restitution has been made, to make the 
confession public, or make stock of it, or boast of it, 
or do anything else which would embarrass the con- 
fessor, or prejudice the public against him. It is very 
wrong for any one on account of pride, malice or self- 
ishness to exalt himself above some one who has vol- 
untarily humbled himself to make confession and rep- 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 207 

aration. The same principles which forbid a man to 
tell any one except the offender before a wrong is 
rectified, would much more forbid him to do so after 
it has been righted, unless it be to defend the penitent. 
It is the same principles which excuse doctors and min- 
isters from testifying against such as have been pa- 
tients and parishioners, who have committed confi- 
dences to them. Such a betrayal of sacred trusts gen- 
erally springs from secret malice or a selfish pride, 
which would delight in taking advantage of the weak 
and helpless, or even of seeking penitents. Such a 
needless betrayal is unkind and unjust, and needs con- 
fession and reparation to merit forgiveness. It is very 
wrong to injure needlessly an impenitent sinner. If 
so, how much more a penitent one. 

5. Related to this is another species of wrong also 
frequently overlooked. Divine justice does not allow 
men to become needlessly angry with, one another. 
Usually an unjustifiable malice underlies it. So Christ 
himself says, "Whosoever shall be angry with his 
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judg- 
ment." — Mat. 5:22. It is unjust and unkind to any 
man to make evil out of his innocency. This is a 
species of injustice and unforgivingness too. For who- 
soever will become angry with his brother without a 
cause, will still retain his anger when the supposed or 
alleged cause is removed. Getting angry with another 
without a just cause is generally due to one of two 
things. One is a kind of pride which is offended at 
rebuke ; and the other is a secret malice, which is look- 
ing for an opportunity for becoming angry, and has 
some show of reason for so doing. Sometimes people 



208 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

become angry at acts intended as a kindnesses. Be- 
coming angry without a cause is a sign of a very bad 
heart. It is dishonest as well as malicious ; for such 
usually pretend that the object of their malice has 
done something which he has not, or intended to do 
something that he did not. I have known such mali- 
cious people to demand an apology for what was in- 
tended as a kindness, and was so recognized by every- 
body except those who were angry already. Such need 
rebuke, instead of catering to their whims, or pander- 
ing to their pride or prejudices. Misrepresenting either 
one's innocence or his intended kindnesses is malicious, 
unjust and dishonest, and deserves severe censure and 
rebuke. 

6. Sometimes it is no longer possible to make rep- 
aration or restitution or confession to the one 
wronged. And God does not require things which are 
impossible; neither should people. There are several 
conditions which might prevent the proper reparation 
of any wrong. There are three different conditions, 
any one of which would make any reparation impos- 
sible. The one wronged may have died, moved away 
to parts unknown, or never have been known or rec- 
ognized in the first place. A number of years ago a 
man asked me about another gentleman whom he 
had insulted years before, and inquired the place of 
his residence if still alive. I informed him that the 
gentleman of whom he inquired had been dead a long 
time. He said that he had insulted him during the 
civil war. And after he became a christian, he had 
felt condemned over it for years, and desired to make 
apologies to him, and ask his forgiveness. Not un- 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 209 

frequently it has happened that some one who has 
been wronged has moved away to parts unknown, 
and cannot be located. This is especially true where 
both parties to a difficulty have moved several times 
since the commission of the wrong. It is better to 
right up all wrongs before people separate; or better 
still, never commit the offense. In the case of burg- 
lary, theft, or insult, the offender may never know 
who the victim was. In the case of purse-snatchers in 
a big crowd, one might never recognize his victim, as 
he is watching the purse and not the face. And in 
the case of injuries performed in the dark, one may 
never know who the other fellow was. Of course in a 
great many instances inquiry or advertising may serve 
to ascertain. But otherwise in all of these cases, rep- 
aration is impossible. 

David could never repair the wrong done to Uriah. 
Uriah was dead and gone, and gone forever. All that 
David could do now was to confess to God, and do 
better in the future. So he did confess to God, and 
he did better in the future. "Against thee, thee only 
have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." — Ps. 
51 : 4. God graciously forgave him, and freely restored 
him. 

Judas could not persuade the chief priests to release 
Christ, nor to receive again the bribe which they had 
given him. He could only throw the money down, 
and leave it there. The wrong was not so much in 
receiving the money, but in the betrayal which it 
bought. Judas could do all that he might, he could 
never avert the results of his treason. Those malicious, 
bloodthirsty Jews would never receive their bribe back, 



210 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

nor release Christ, even if Judas did declare that He 
was innocent. The testimony of Judas, Pilate, the 
centurion, and the thief on the cross, do not weigh a 
feather against their bitter thirst for His innocent 
blood. Judas did all that he could to make reparation 
but he failed to make confession to Christ, and ask 
His forgiveness, and trust in His mercy. 

Peter told the Jews assembled on Pentecost that 
they had taken Christ with wicked hands, and had slain 
him. They were cut to the heart, and cried, "Men and 
brethren, what shall we do?" They could never right 
that wrong. They could only confess it, and do better. 
Christ was dead, buried, resurrected, and ascended. 
He was far beyond their reach now in any way. So 
Peter made no great effort to have them make repara- 
tion. But he did require the only possible thing to 
do, and that was to confess their sins, and be baptized 
in the name of the One they had wronged. This was 
their repentance and confession. When confession can 
no longer be made to men, it must be made to God, 
to relieve one's conscience and to prepare for faith — 
Ps. 51 : 1-4. A great public wrong like the trial and 
murder of Jesus Christ must be publicly confessed to 
rebuke their own conduct, and repudiate it before the 
world. 

7. Sometimes God requires a reparation of wrongs 
even after the injured one was dead, or is otherwise 
gone beyond one's reach or knowledge. This may 
help the wrong-doer, but does not help his victim. 
The relatives of an injured person have some rights 
too, and should not be disregarded. A man in Massa- 
chusetts told me that through mistakes in settlements 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 211 

he had gotten money which belonged to two other 
men. Soon afterward, both of them died. But he 
found no rest nor peace till he made restitution to 
one's wife and to the other's children. Neither the 
wife of the one nor the children of the other wanted to 
receive anything. But he said that he must give it, 
and they must take it, for otherwise he should have 
no peace. After that he was always cheerful and hap- 
py. He had found his way to the mercy seat, and had 
obtained mercy. The Mosaic law required that if a 
man had wronged another as to his possessions, and 
the injured man had died, and had no relatives to re- 
ceive his restitution, he should add the fifth part there- 
to, and give it unto the Lord. — Num. 5 : 6-8. This 
relieves the conscience, and also adds influence to a 
man, because restitution to the Lord would show a 
man's sincerity and earnestness. 

8. God often blesses people on credit, when he 
sees that their credit is good. The writer was holding 
a meeting in New Hampshire. After sermon the altar 
was filled with earnest, anxious seekers. Among them 
was a middle-aged lady. The evangelist spoke to each 
one personally about his difficulties and obligations to 
God, and pointed them to Christ. After the altar serv- 
ice continued for some time, it was dismissed, and 
testimonies called for. This lady confessed that she 
had a great burden on her heart, and knew not why. 
After close of the meeting the writer spoke to her 
again about the difficulties in the way of an immediate 
acceptance of Christ. After some questioning, she 
finally admitted that she had been a christian before, 
but had backslidden while she and her husband were 



212 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

having a quarrel. She was told that if she felt that 
she had done wrong she must confess it and make 
reparation. She finally agreed to do so. She was told 
that she must do so on her first opportunity after she 
was convinced that she ought to do so. She finally 
agreed to do so. She was called to the altar again. 
After a few prayers she received pardon and peace. 
Her husband a few days later expressed great confi- 
dence in her, and her two daughters were both hap- 
pily converted to God. On the following evening she 
testified- that she had been so happy the night before 
that she could not sleep. But the point is that God 
graciously forgave her before she had any opportunity 
to make any reparation, and had made none, but had 
faithfully promised to do so. 

If God did not sometimes bless people on credit, 
they would be lost. Suppose, for instance, a man who 
had stolen, or cheated others out of large sums of 
money should be converted late in life. He may not 
have either time or strength left sufficient to earn the 
money with which to pay all his victims. His only 
hope is for God to bless him on a credit, when he faith- 
fully promises to walk in all the light that he has, and 
do his best to reimburse the victims of his dishonesty 
as soon and as far as possible. The writer has heard 
of men who were converted while on their way to 
make reparation and restitution. God knows when a 
man's heart and purpose become right, and blesses him 
from that moment. 

Furthermore, God wants to bless men so that they 
may be able as well as willing to do right, and to do 
right discreetly. It is hard for some men to do right 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 213 

without having the empowerment of a special blessing. 
Some men can scarcely overcome sin, and especially 
their besetting sin, till they are converted. This fur- 
nishes another strong reason for God to bless or con- 
vert men on credit, when He sees that their credit is 
good. Conversion will lend them both wisdom and 
strength even to make reparation and restitution, espe- 
cially when considerable time and effort is required. 

9. There are instances where it is possible to make 
confession and apology, and yet it may not be wisest 
or best to do so. The conditions and circumstances 
of both the wronged and the wrong-doer may have 
so changed, or may have become such that both mod- 
esty and propriety, and both peace and happiness of 
all concerned, may forbid the merest mention of the 
wrong to the injured, or to any one else. There is 
more than one kind of this form of wrong. For in- 
stance, two young persons may have kept company. 
In their separation, one may have wronged the other 
intentionally or through misunderstanding. But since 
their separation, both may have married. Then one 
or the other, or possibly both, may later have come to 
repentance, and suffer keenly for the wrong committed 
years before, and feel impelled to make confession, and 
if possible, reparation. To do so, however, might re- 
vive old memories and affections, and thus might make 
matters worse instead of better. 

Again, a man may have wronged one of the op- 
posite sex, and one or both may have since married. 
In such cases the best interests and happiness of all 
concerned may require the wrong to be buried in 
oblivion, and forbid its future mention under any cir- 



214 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

cumstances. For circumstances may be such that the 
merest mention of any kind, or the slightest sugges- 
tion or intimation of any kind concerning the past may 
tear open an old wound that has been years in healing. 
This would be only adding one wrong to another, 
instead of righting one. Such instances are not very 
rare either; but are very annoying to those who want 
to become faithful and conscientious. Moreover the 
mere confession of such wrongs to the opposite sex 
may of itself become temptations to both. And con- 
fessions are to remove temptations, and not make 
them. There have been instances where such confes- 
sions have led not only to temptation, but also to sin. 
That is not all. The writer has heard of a vile woman 
who pretended to be confessing to an earnest christian 
man, for the very purpose of seducing him, and suc- 
ceeded in so doing, and then boasted of it. It was 
only after much trouble and terrible struggle that he 
was reclaimed. 

Sometimes also the explanations necessary to a 
proper understanding of offensive conduct may be as 
bad or worse than the conduct itself. Several years ago 
the writer was holding a series of meetings in a desti- 
tute community. During the preaching services, a 
young man in the back part of the house appeared to 
be making sport, and trying to disturb the worship. 
On invitation, he among others held up his hand for 
prayers. He then turned to the young man sitting 
by him, and laughed. I reproved him quite sharply 
for his apparent trifling with sacred things. He ceased 
part of his demonstrations, but continued others. When 
a collection was taken, he borrowed a dollar to give 



CONDITIONS OF CONFESSION 215 

to the evangelist. That started a query in the writer's 
mind as to his sanity. The gentleman who entertained 
the preacher explained to him that he was half-witted. 
He remarked that he knew that I would not have 
reproved him so sharply had I known it. I said, "Cer- 
tainly not." For I very much dislike to see anybody 
impose on the innocent, or helpless, or those defective 
in any way. But I said that I did not know how to 
apologize to him, and explain my reproof, and its fol- 
lowing apology, without an explanation which would 
be offensive and practically insulting to him. So in- 
stead of apology, I always tried to bear with him, 
and treat him with special kindness afterward. In 
such cases, persons can show their consideration and 
regret by a kind and judicious course of conduct 
toward such people. 

In such cases as the preceding and the following, 
silence is golden. The indiscretion of indiscriminate 
confession was first suggested to me by a man who had 
a personal experience like the former one. He had not 
observed proper prudence and modesty toward a cer- 
tain married lady. When he began seeking the Lord, 
he apologized to this woman, and asked her if he should 
also apologize to her husband. She very promptly 
replied that it would do no good, and would only make 
bad matters worse, instead of better. No matter if he 
had done as bad himself, such men usually are unrea- 
sonable. Confessions and apologies are to remove and 
smooth difficulties, and not to make more, and not to 
make worse what is already bad enough. 

For the same reason, it frequently is best to wait till 
people are in a proper mood to receive an apology, 



216 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

before attempting to offer such. As a rule though, the 
sooner an apology is made the better it is for all con- 
cerned. Christ gave Peter an humble grieved look 
when the cock crew, and He knew that Peter had 
failed to be true to his vows. But when Peter had 
partially considered the matter and repented, he talked 
to him about his love and devotion to his Savior. Peter 
was then ready to admit everything. 

10. Sometimes the one wronged may not want to 
receive any restitution, but simply to forgive. But 
usually this is not best. For sometimes when such a 
person is no longer a friend, he becomes a bitter enemy. 
In such case, he is liable to make stock of it, and then 
exact more than is just. Such persons then often 
become angry and unreasonable, and make unjust ac- 
cusations and demands against the other party. These 
suppositions are not only possible ; but such cases have 
come under the writer's observation. So it is well to 
remove any occasion for future accusations and con- 
tentions. 



CHAPTER XIV. 
Repentance of Other People's Sins. 

WHEN first suggested to them, some people 
wonder how any one should or could repent 
of another's sins. But it is very clear when ex- 
plained to them. For God holds a man responsible 
not only for all the sins which he commits, but also for 
all the sins which he influences others to commit, and 
for many of the sins which others commit which he 
could prevent if he would. Most people never or rarely 
think of this. Some can scarcely believe that Cain's 
question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" is at all appli- 
cable to them. But men rarely if ever go singly either 
to heaven or to hell. John Wesley is credited with 
saying, "You cannot go to heaven alone. You must 
take somebody with you." That may be too strong. 
But it expresses a truth nevertheless. Paul told the 
Philippian jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." — Acts 16 : 31. 
This expresses not only the possibility, but also the 
responsibility of saving one's own family. And men 
are responsible for all that is possible in the realms 
of grace. 

There are several ways in which men are respon- 
sible for all that is possible in the realms of grace, and 
consequently for the sins of others. First, By teaching, 
tempting or persuading men to sin; Second, By in- 
fluencing others to sin by a bad example; Third, By 

217 



218 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

provoking - others to commit sin by offensive or an- 
noying or aggravating conduct. All of these are pos- 
itive sins. There remains another kind for which 
men are responsible, which is a negative one ; Fourth, 
By a neglect to warn others against their sins. In the 
matter of evil influence there are two classes. First, 
there are those who sin by leading others into sin ; 
and second, there are those whom we could lead to a 
better life if we would, and whom we could prevent 
from committing some of their sins if we would. The 
first is a sin of commission, and is far more wicked 
than is the sin of omission to warn and save. Of those 
who commit the positive kind of sin there are two 
classes also. First, there are those who lead others 
into sin knowingly and intentionally, either from sheer 
malice, or from a pure love of wickedness ; and sec- 
ondly, Those who lead others into sin by mistake, not 
knowing or thinking that some things are wrong, by 
mistaking error for truth, and wrong for right, and by 
mere thoughtlessness. God wants His people to use 
all their influence for good, and be a positive factor 
for righteousness, as well as simply to do good in the 
way of kindnesses. All soldiers and citizens and 
patriots are not only supposed to be true and loyal 
to their country, but also to fight for it if need be. 

The neglect to warn and save those whom God has 
committed to the care of another, is termed hatred 
and murder in the Bible. "Thou shalt not hate thy 
brother in thy heart. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke 
thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him." — Lev. 
19 : 17. Neglect of the spiritual welfare of one's 
neighbor is here termed hatred. While in the New 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 219 

Testament it is said, "Whosoever hateth his brother is 
a murderer." — I John 3 : 15. "He that spareth his rod 
hateth his son : but he that loveth him chasteneth him 
betimes." — Prov. 14 : 24. Yet foolish parents some- 
times plead their great love for their children as an 
excuse for their neglect to correct or punish them. It 
is difficult for the thoughtless to realize that they mur- 
der those whom they neglect to warn. The rebuke is 
not simply the purpose or end in itself, but only a 
means to an end, "and not suffer sin upon him," or "to 
save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins." — 
Jas. 5:20. 

These principles are recognized by society in daily 
life. The telegraph operator who neglects to give 
proper orders to an on-coming train, is held respon- 
sible for its destruction, if its destruction is due to the 
lack of proper orders. He is held responsible not only 
by the railroad officials, but by the civil law and by 
society at large also. Such cases are frequently so 
decided in court. In a rear-end collision, the conductor 
of the train ahead is held responsible for the collision. 
For in case he stops, he is required to send a brakeman 
back with a flag to warn any train coming from the 
rear. 

There are two great classes of people in regard to 
their attitude toward sin and righteousness. One class 
unduly magnifies mercy at the expense of justice; and 
the other magnifies justice at the expense of mercy. 
Both are partly right, and partly wrong. The true 
ideal is reached "when mercy and truth are met to- 
gether, and righteousness and truth have kissed each 
other." — Ps. 85 : 10. But the law comes before the 



220 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

gospel, and justice precedes mercy, and righteousness 
prepares the way for lasting peace. The Psalmist 
recognized that righteousness was not only a condi- 
tion of peace existing, but also a condition of peace 
coming. He says, "The mountains shall bring peace 
to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness." — 
72 : 3. Isaiah agrees with the Psalmist when he says, 
"The work of righteousness shall be peace ; and the 
effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for- 
ever."— 32 : 17. 

There is a peace which does not have its basis in 
righteousness ; but it is neither true nor lasting. There 
is a peace which comes from acquiescence in sin and 
wrong. There is peace of death as well as a peace of 
life. The peace which God gives through righteous- 
ness, is true, profound and lasting. It is also very 
attractive and influential. Moreover that peace 
which comes from the reign of righteousness is the 
only kind that is lasting. The wise man was surely 
right when he said, "By mercy and truth iniquity is 
purged," — Prov. 16 : 6 ; and "by the fear of the Lord 
men depart from evil." — 3 : 7 ; 16 : 6. By truth alone, sin 
is shown up ; by mercy alone, it is covered up ; but by 
mercy and truth together, it is cleaned up. 

These two principles in action among christians 
are christian reproof and christian forgiveness. Both 
of these duties are obligatory upon christians in their 
proper order. It is the christian's duty to stop men 
from sinning when and where it is possible. There 
are several ways in which to do this. One can do it 
by good example, by instruction and admonition, by 
christian reproof, by prayer for others, by personal 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 221 

force and by law enforcement. Any one, or all of these 
may be used as occasion may demand, or in their 
proper order. Moreover the steps to be used appro- 
priately depends upon the station, age and faults of 
the erring, and upon the station, age and official posi- 
tion of the one who administers the reproof. 

I. There are three classes of persons who are rec- 
ognized as especially responsible for the moral conduct 
of others. They are the civil, moral and religious. 
These classes are responsible for the conduct of the 
people especially in the state, home and school, and 
Church. Of course each class has responsibility beyond 
its own prescribed sphere, but it has an especial juris- 
diction within that territory or place or position to 
whch it has been appointed or elected. 

1. The civil or state officers constitute the first 
class. In this country men are elected for the very 
purpose of preventing or punishing crime. They are 
charged with it, sworn under oath to do it, and are 
responsible for it. It is the duty of the men who in 
the providence of God are called to positions of trust 
and authority, to do their best to secure the righteous 
observance of civil law. Paul in his terse way, wrote 
to the Romans, "He that ruleth, let him do it with dili- 
gence." — Rom. 12 : 12. It is an official's duty to be 
faithful in his work. In the next chapter, Paul said, 
"There is no power but of God; and the powers that 
be are ordained of God. . . . He is the minister 
of God to thee for good; ... a revenger to exe- 
cute wrath upon him that doeth evil. For this cause 
pay ye tribute also ; for they are God's ministers at- 
tending continually upon this very thing." — 13 : 1-6. 



222 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

All of this means that they are in the order of God's 
providence; that it is their bounden duty to prevent 
or punish crime ; and that they must be obeyed and 
supported, if they are law-abiding themselves, and are 
honestly, earnestly and fairly trying to enforce the 
law. 

There is a sense also in which every citizen is re- 
sponsible for the observance and enforcement of the 
civil law. This is evident in several ways. Firstly, 
In some states the civil law requires any one seeing 
or knowing of a violation of the law, to report it to 
the proper authorities. In all states any man can be 
summoned before a grand jury to report a crime, or 
before a petit jury to testify against a criminal. There 
is no excuse except sickness or death, or some other 
providential hindrance. Secondly, If any man wilfully 
and knowingly conceals a crime or criminal, he is par- 
ticeps criminis, and is liable to indictment or punish- 
ment too. Such is called accessory after the act. 
Thirdly, Any able-bodied citizen can be deputized to 
assist in the arrest and imprisonment of any criminal. 
If such will not assist when so deputized, he is 
arrested and indicted, too. From the above facts, it is 
very plain that every citizen as well as the officers of 
the law are more or less responsible for the enforce- 
ment of the law, and for the establishment of justice. 

The Scriptures are very positive and plain con- 
cerning the duties of civil officers. The Lord not only 
makes it the privilege of the officers of the law to exe- 
cute the law, and to prevent and punish crime, but 
makes it their bounden duty as well, and punishes them 
for neglecting their duty, or abusing their office. Saul 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 223 

was called, appointed and anointed to be king over 
Israel by God Himself. But when he neglected to 
execute God's wrath upon a heathen people, and their 
wicked king, he was not only soon removed from the 
throne, but his own sons were forever deprived of the 
privilege of succeeding him in the kingship. — I Sam. 
13:8-16; 15:1-35. Samuel was commanded to tell 
Saul, "Because thou hast rejected the word of the 
Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king." — 
I Sam. 15 : 23. The word rejected was a command to 
punish the heathen king, Agag. 

2. There is another class of people who are held 
especially responsible for others on account of having 
been providentially placed in the care of children. This 
class includes both parents and teachers. The respon- 
sibility of parents is the greater of the two. They are 
the natural guardians, protectors and teachers of their 
own children. The Mosaic law made parents respon- 
sible for teaching their own offspring the precepts of 
the law, for the neglect of which they were severely 
punished. Jacob's partiality was punished by long 
years of trouble and sorrow. The last years of his life 
were darkened and saddened by its results. David 
nearly lost his kingship over Israel because he did not 
exercise a judicious headship over his own family. Not 
only so, but most all of his troubles in the latter part 
of his reign grew out of his own negligence. Old Eli 
lost his own life, and so did his two boys, all in one 
day, ''because his sons made themselves vile, and he re- 
strained them not."— I Sam. 3' : 13 ; 4 : 11-18. He chided 
them, but he neither punished nor prevented their sins. 

On the other hand, we have a positive command 



224 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

for parents to "bring up their children in the nurture 
and admonition of the Lord." — Eph. 6:4. In the New 
Testament Church no man was allowed to take an 
important office in the Church who did not have 
good home government. For this reason was as- 
signed, "If a man know not how to rule his own house, 
how shall he take care of the Church of God?" — I Tim. 
3 : 5. Principles which will not work well in a home, 
will not work well in a Church. The plan of govern- 
ment in the two is very much the same. It is not only 
the principles, but also the person, too. There are 
some people who cannot rule well, no matter how 
wise they are. It takes a certain type of temperament 
and disposition to make a good ruler in home or 
Church either. 

Furthermore Abraham was chosen to be the father 
of the Jewish nation because he was recognized as a 
good and faithful father in the family. "The Lord said, 
For I know him, that he will command his children 
and his household after him, and they shall keep the 
way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the 
Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath 
spoken of him." — Gen. 18 : 19. Abraham not only had 
a little influence at home, but a sufficient influence to 
make and mold his whole family. And he did it too. 
So ought every father and mother to do. 

John Wesley said that parents stood in the place 
of God to their children. Children know not God ; but 
they are acquainted with their parents, and better than 
with anybody else. And to their mind, parents repre- 
sent the best, wisest and greatest in humanity of 
which they know. This fact only emphasizes the 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 225 

responsibility of parents for their children. So God 1 
makes every father the natural high priest of his own 
family. As the father and the mother represent the 
highest and best ideal of which the child knows, it is 
the more important that the embodiment of his ideal 
is not a perversion of righteousness. A man's moral 
life is the tallest and longest sermon which he is ca- 
pable of preaching. In the end it has the greatest in- 
fluence too. 

The other great leaders which God chose for Israel 
were men who walked in all His commandments and 
ordinances blameless themselves, and taught their 
families so. As examples of God's choice, we have 
Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Nehemiah, Zech- 
ariah, John the Baptist's father, and himself too. It 
is only reasonable to suppose that God would follow 
His own rules in the choice of leaders. He lived up 
to His own commands. On the other hand we see 
that the children of divinely chosen and recommended 
parents have become noble, good and great. We see 
this in the father of Noah, Moses, Samuel, Sampson, 
Solomon and John the Baptist. All of them were good, 
great and wise men. And no doubt these illustrious 
sons owed much of their greatness and influence to 
the teaching and example of their fathers. 

3. Prophets and ministers are called, appointed 
and anointed of the Lord for the special work as re- 
ligious teachers. They are not only called to do that 
sort of work under a divine obligation, compulsion 
and penalty, or a woe as Paul called it, but they are 
also under obligation to do it right. Jonah received a 
large city appointment, just the kind many ministers 



226 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

prefer. But it was new and outside of his native land, 
and so he refused to go. He did more. He tried to 
leave the country, and started in the opposite direc- 
tion. God providentially compelled his return to his 
native land, and commanded him to go to his appoint- 
ment. He then repented of rejecting the call of the 
Lord. But the proper repentance of the call natur- 
ally carried with it the immediate acceptance of the 
call. Paul said that if he himself did not preach he 
would be punished. "Woe is me, if I preach not the 
gospel." Moses, Ezekiel and Jeremiah were all called 
of God, and pressed into the service of their king 
against their own will. All of these resisted their first 
call, not because they did not want to do the work of 
the Lord to which they were called, but because they 
felt unworthy and insufficient for the task. All of 
these were owned of the Lord, but strange as it may 
seem, those who had the strongest call, were the most 
bitterly persecuted by men. But in spite of the opposi- 
tion of wicked men, God did not excuse them from 
their unpleasant task of denouncing the sins of their 
people and time. 

Ezekiel received a special command to preach 
against the sins and wickedness against which Israel 
needed to be warned. God required him to preach 
"whether they will hear or whether they will forbear." 
« — 2 : 5-7. Preachers are tempted to leave the most 
common and the most popular sins of their community 
go unrebuked, and denounce only those which are un- 
popular already. Some would preach against the sins 
of other communities, nations or ages, and neglect to 
denounce those of their own. In fact, many ministers 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 227 

are inclined to condone the popular sins of their own 
community, and excuse them, or even defend them. 
Such ministers usually call evil good, and good evil. 
They feel that they must preach against sin. But as 
they do not want to preach against the sins of the 
community, they usually preach against the right- 
eousness of the community. The minister who will 
not preach against the liquor saloon makes an effort 
to discount the temperance cranks, as he would call 
them. Isaiah had the same difficulty to meet in his 
day, and pronounced a "woe upon them that call evil 
good, and good evil ; that put darkness for light, and 
light for darkness ; that put bitter for sweet, and 
sweet for bitter." — Isa. 5 : 20. No man can condone 
sin without decrying righteousness. When the spite- 
ful jealous Jews said, "Release unto us, Barabbas," 
they said almost in the same breath, "Crucify the 
Christ." And the prophets of Baal killed the prophets 
of the Lord. Those who upheld slavery mobbed Wil- 
liam Lloyd Garrison and killed Lovejoy. 

We have another form of this sin in the case of 
Balaam. Balaam was a real prophet of the Lord. Even 
the heathen nations recognized this, and wanted his 
services. The world recognizes that it helps their 
cause along, if they can get good men enlisted on their 
side. So many would judge a cause not by its intrinsic 
merits and importance, but by its representatives. So 
Balak, king of Moab, offered Balaam a great reward 
if he would only curse the people of God. He hesitated 
at first, but finally Balak's bribes and entreaties were 
too much for him, and he consented to go. God for- 
bade Balaam's going, but finally permitted him to go 



228 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

after he had repented ; but God demanded that Balaam 
bless His people, and not curse them. He did as God 
required him to do. But in so doing, he incurred the 
wrath and enmity of the Moabites and Balak. Many 
a minister has lost his spiritual life and power because 
he threw his efforts and influence on the wrong side. 
Balaam's dallying with his duty finally led to his 
downfall from which he never recovered. 

The minister's responsibility in warning and 
preaching depends upon the needs of men, and his 
ability and opportunity. The divine instruction to 
Ezekiel is applicable to all preachers. He was com- 
manded to warn them, "whether they will hear, or 
whether they will forbear." Many excuse their indo- 
lence, negligence, and sometimes cowardice, by saying 
that all effort is of no use, or that it will do more harm 
than good. Sometimes these excuses are true, but 
quite often they are not. God requires his prophets 
to warn them anyway, no matter if they will not re- 
ceive it, so that they will be left without excuse. God 
requires his prophets also to seek and pray for wisdom 
to make their work effective. The failure of much of 
the work is the minister's fault ; but it is not all. For 
the Scriptures very plainly show that most of the fail- 
ure is due either to the indifference or wickedness of 
the hearers themselves. Then again the ministers are 
making an earnest effort to do their duty, while many 
of their hearers are not. So that it is manifestly unfair 
to blame the one who is trying to do his duty, and 
excuse the one who is not. 

God requires the prophet to declare the whole 
counsel of God, "whether they will hear, or whether 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 229 

they will forbear." It is easy to declare the truth 
that* the people want. Most ministers are perfectly 
willing to do that. But it is the unpleasant and un- 
popular truth usually that is needed, but is so much 
omitted. Ezekiel declares that it is the duty of the 
watchman upon the walls of Zion to warn its inhab- 
itants of coming danger, no matter whether the in- 
habitants take heed or not. The Lord commanded 
Isaiah to preach to His people, even though they 
simply hardened their hearts against the truth. He 
was required to continue to warn them till they all 
backslid or forsook the word. Faithfulness sometimes 
results in people backsliding yet more, and refusing 
to listen longer to unpleasant truth. 

Every christian is held more or less responsible for 
the souls of the people around him. Paul chides some 
of his contemporary christians, because that when they 
ought to be teachers, they themselves need to be 
taught. — Heb. 5 : 12. God holds christians responsible 
first, for the weak brethren and backsliders around 
them ; and second, for all the sinners with whom they 
associate, and over whom they have an influence. 
James commanded his brethren to pray for and convert 
from the error of their ways those who had back- 
slidden. — Jas. 5 : 19f. Paul exhorts the spiritually 
minded Galatians to restore those who were overtaken 
in a fault. — Gal. 6 : 1. The command in Lev. 19 : 17, is 
general and obligatory upon all christians, and equally 
so upon the laity, as upon the preachers. And the ob- 
ligation is toward all men, both saint and sinner. 



CHAPTER XV. 
Repentance of Other People's Sins, Concluded. 

II. Christian people are responsible in a sense for 
sins of all kinds. Nevertheless several kinds are par- 
ticularly specified in Scripture, and reasons are as- 
signed for our opposition thereto. In a sense we are 
more responsible for those which are specified than we 
are for those receiving only general mention. Of those 
specified there are four classes, and these include sins 
of nearly all kinds. 

1. Sins against others seem to be mentioned more 
than any other kind. It is surprising to note how 
strong and frequent are the references to this 
form of transgression. When the rich young ruler 
came to Christ, and asked Him what good thing he 
should do to have eternal life, Christ replied, "Keep the 
commandments." When the young man asked which 
commandments, Christ replied again by naming only 
those commandments which enforce a man's duty 
toward his fellowman. ,Why these should be men- 
tioned, and the others apparently ignored is not en- 
tirely clear. There are two possible reasons for em- 
phasis upon this. One is that such commandments are 
more likely to be neglected than are those expressing 
a man's duty to God. Another is that God requires us 
to do our duty first to those who are near. Sins against 
man usually spring from hatred and malice and selfish- 
ness, and breed the same. While sins against God do 

230 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 231 

not spring so much from hatred against Him as they 
do from love of the world and a selfish ease. But re- 
pentance of them is fully discussed in another chapter, 
and need not be repeated here. 

But there is another form of sin against others, 
which either is not clear to most people, or is over- 
looked by them. This is commonly known as injus- 
tice. This sin is repeatedly mentioned in Scripture, 
and is always condemned in strong terms. Many who 
would scorn to commit the gross or ordinary sins 
either, would have no scruples against this. Yet in- 
justice was considered such a flagrant sin that Isaiah 
declares that it prevents many people's prayers from 
being answered. — 1 : 12-15. After declaring God's dis- 
gust at their devotions, and His refusal to hear their 
prayers, he states the reason why : "Your hands are full 
of blood." — 1 : 15. They had not killed anybody. They 
had simply permitted it to be done. He first mentions 
sins in general, and then definitely specifies their own 
sins, by exhortations to their opposite virtues. "Seek 
judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, 
plead for the widow." Hatred commits murder. Indif- 
ference, selfish ease or policy perrriits it to be done. 
Zechariah too declares the same bitter truths. After 
mentioning the stubbornness, injustice and oppression 
of Israel, he adds, "Therefore came a great wrath from 
the Lord of Hosts." As they would not hear the Lord, 
the Lord would not hear them, but dispersed them 
among their enemies. — Zech. 7 : 9-14. So we are com- 
manded to reprove such, not only for the sake of those 
whom they injure by the commission or the permission 
of acts of injustice, but also for the sake of their own 



232 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

souls. For both the salvation of their souls, and the 
answer to their prayers depend upon their repentance 
of such sins. — Isa. 59 ; Mat. 5 : 23f. 

Furthermore, no man can have a good influence 
over those whom he has wronged himself, or has per- 
mitted to be wronged by others. Parents nearly 
always defend their children, even though they are 
in the wrong. Much more should they defend their 
children when they are in the right. Husbands and 
wives usually defend each other right or wrong, when 
anybody opposes the other, even though they are in 
a quarrel with one another. Much more should men 
defend one another when they are in the right. When 
they do not so defend one another, it is because of 
malice on the one hand, and fear and policy on the 
other. In the first case, one is wrong, and in the 
second case, both are wrong, that is, the one who is 
unjust, and the other whom he fears or favors for 
policy's sake. 

2. Then there are the sins committed against us 
by others. There are two general theories in regard 
to the way in which a man should treat those who sin 
against him. One is that he should ignore and over- 
look all their wrongs, and should receive and treat 
them with all kindness and love. The other theory is 
that he should rebuke them, and should show them 
only civil courtesy until they repent. Both of these 
methods have won transgressors to the offended and 
to Christ. Some people need one of these, and some 
need the other. But no matter which method is used, 
it is the manifestation of the truth and spirit of Christ, 
which brings men to Christ. The highest and best 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 233 

balanced type of character is formed by the combina- 
tion and influence of both of these elements. The fact 
is, we are commanded to manifest both of these qual- 
ities in a sort of a way. But most men are so one-sided 
and short-sighted that it seems difficult to see and hold 
two different kinds of truth in the mind at the same 
time. 

We are commanded to be meek, to love our ene- 
mies, to bless them that curse us, to do good to them 
that hate us ; to pray for them that despitefully use us, 
and abuse us, to resist not evil, and not be contentious 
when people would oppress us, or take advantage of 
us ; and to give food, drink and clothing to our enemies. 
—Mat. 5 : 38-48 ; Rom. 12 : 18-21. But there are several 
good reasons for so doing. That we may be like our 
heavenly Father, and that we may heap coals of fire 
upon the heads of our enemies, and overcome evil with 
good. A merciful and forgiving spirit manifested 
toward a sinner who is afraid to repent, or to show his 
repentance, for fear that the offended will take advan- 
tage of his confessions and concessions, will often lead 
such a one to Christ. On the other hand, if a sinner 
feels that both ministers and laity are afraid to declare 
the whole counsel of God either because of fear or of 
policy, he will more likely be influenced by a manifes- 
tation of courage, sterling integrity, and conscientious- 
ness. Sinners have no confidence in, or respect for, 
moral cowards. They are not won to Christ by moral 
poltroons. Nor can they be favorably influenced by 
such. 

On the other hand, we have positive commands to 
reprove and rebuke. "Take heed to yourselves. If thy 



234 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

brother trespass against three, rebuke him; and if he 
repent, forgive him." — Luke 17 : 3. Notice here that 
this is not sin in general, or against some one else, but 
against you personally. There is more than one reason 
why men should reprove those who sin against them- 
selves. If men who are offended or injured do not do 
so, they are inclined to brood over their wrongs, and 
also to tell other people, neither of which is best. For 
either course usually breeds hatred in one's own heart, 
and the latter has the same influence over those to 
whom the wrongs are told. Neither of these helps the 
erring, but the latter is liable to make him worse. So 
we now see the grounds for the commands in Lev. 
19 : 17, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart ; 
thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not 
suffer sin upon him." This gives a good reason, "and 
not suffer sin upon him." Most that is required 
of men is to save oneself or somebody else from sin. 
The reason given by Christ is, "and to gain thy 
brother." — Mat. 18 : 15. The reason given by James 
is to "save a soul from death." — 5 : 20. The object of 
all testimony, instruction, exhortation, admonition and 
rebuke, is to win souls to Christ and to His right- 
ousness. 

Some talk and act as if rebuke was simply and only 
to denounce sin, or in a sort of a way to punish the 
sinner. Reproof is not the end in itself, but a means 
to an end. And reproof should seek the end required 
and prescribed. The truth is, we are commanded to 
reprove in such a way as to "restore the erring in the 
spirit of meekness." — Gal. 6:1. In Mat. 18 : 15-17, men 
are commanded not to denounce nor abuse, not in a 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 235 

crowd nor in the presence of anybody else, but simply 
to "tell the transgressor his fault between thee and 
him alone." The object is to "gain thy brother." All 
our rebukes, admonitions and exhortations will be 
more effective if given for this purpose and in this 
spirit. If the deliverances of truth are given with this 
end in view, they are not likely to be harsh and unjust. 
If so, God is more likely to bless them ; and people are 
more apt to receive them. So for these two reasons 
they are more likely to be effective. But men must 
always speak the truth in love, if they wish to produce 
the best effect. 

3. Then again men are not allowed to sin against 
themselves. This may be done by sins of omission, 
or by sins of commission. The parables of the talents 
and of the pounds are very forcible inculcations of the 
positive duty of every man to make the most of his life. 
As it is a person's duty to do all the good he can, it is 
also his duty to prepare to do all the good he can. On 
the other hand, as it is a sin not to do good, it is also 
a sin not to prepare to do good. "To him that know- 
eth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." — Jas. 
4: 17. If the neglect of personal self-development be a 
sin, it would be a still greater sin to do anything which 
would weaken or destroy one's powers or influence for 
good, or usefulness in any way. After Christ had 
healed one long ill, He bade him "go and sin no more, 
lest a worse thing come upon thee." — John 5 : 14. This 
was a mild rebuke for his past sins which caused his 
palsy, and a warning against their repetition in the 
future. When the Philippian jailer would have killed 
himself for fear of the punishment inflicted upon him 



236 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

for the neglect of official duty, Paul forbade him say- 
ing, "Do thyself no harm." — Acts 16 : 28. Paul forbade 
fornication on the ground that it was a "sin against 
one's own body." It would be just as much of a sin to 
injure one's own body as it would be to injure the body 
of another. For the body of one is just as important 
and sacred as is the body of another. The civil law 
does not allow a man to burn his own house, or kill 
or unnecessarily injure his own stock, or his family. 
Neither is a man allowed by law to kill or to injure 
himself. If he attempts to commit suicide or to inflict 
bodily injury upon himself, and fails, he is arrested and 
imprisoned. 

The fact that this principle is applied in civil law 
shows that men in general recognize its justice. It 
tries to prevent a man from destroying his own prop- 
erty or life or health. If a man becomes either drunk 
or insane, and is liable to injure himself or to get in- 
jured, he is arrested and put in prison, and sometimes 
in a padded cell to keep him from injuring himself. 
If he has any dangerous instruments or weapons, they 
are taken from him. In insane asylums they have what 
is called the suicide's room, which is so prepared and 
kept that the violent can have no means of injuring 
themselves. Sometimes when nothing else will suc- 
ceed the violent are put into strait-jackets. All of 
these facts show that it is a generally recognized fact 
that it is wrong to injure oneself, either mentally or 
physically. 

Most of the prohibitions of both parents and 
teachers are for the very purpose of preventing young 
people from injuring themselves. The Bible forbids 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 237 

a man to injure his own body, which is called the 
temple of God. "Whoso defileth the temple of God, 
him shall God destroy."— I Cor. 3 : 17. The Bible pro- 
hibits men from marring or marking their bodies for 
purposes of mourning or religious ceremony either. — 
Lev. 19:27f; Deu. 14: 1. For injuring the instrument 
or agent of God is injuring the cause of God; and de- 
filing the temple of God is an insult to God who made 
it, and who wants to dwell there. No man can do his 
best for God if he weakens, much less destroys his 
own mental and physical powers. The above men- 
tioned parables require men to make the most of their 
talents and opportunities. The neglect to do so in 
either case was severely punished. In these parables 
men were punished for the disuse of powers. How 
much more then would or should they be punished for 
their abuse. The neglect to do so in either case was 
severely punished. Men are punished for omission to 
do their best, as well as for sins of commission, when 
they do their worst. Paul said, "I keep my body un- 
der."— I Cor. 9 :27. 

4. When one man loves another, he does not want 
to see him abused nor to hear him slandered. He 
would reprove anyone whom he heard speaking evil 
of friends, and especially if he knew it to be untruthful 
and unjust. Some persons will resent anything said 
against their friends quicker than they will anything 
said against themselves. The same spirit of loyalty and 
spirit of justice would require a christian man to defend 
the claims and cause of God, under similar circum- 
stances. This principle would require a christian man 
to rebuke anyone who would profane the name of God 



238 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

in his presence, or malign the character of God, or in- 
jure the cause of God. When Ananias and Sapphira 
promised the proceeds of the sale of their property to 
the cause of Christ, and then gave only a part, Peter 
reproved them for lying, and God smote them. "Thou 
hast not lied unto men, but unto God/' — Acts 5 : 4. 
The insult was, thinking they could deceive God, or 
that He would wink at their lie for the sake of their gift, 
as if His demand for honesty and justice could be 
bribed with filthy lucre. The injury was not only 
against those whom their hypocrisy would keep from 
coming to Christ, but also against the Christ of the 
cause as well as against the cause of Christ. — Acts 
5: 1-11. Christians are exhorted to "contend earnestly 
for the faith once delivered to the saints." — Jude 3. 
To do so fully and faithfully they must defend Christ, 
His character, claims and cause against all attacks. 
This necessarily requires christians to rebuke those 
who speak evil of Christ in any way. So then these 
principles hold them responsible more or less for sins 
against God and His cause, and especially such sins 
as christians could prevent. 

III. The purpose of christian reproof is not simply 
the gratification of personal pride, passion or prejudice. 
For that would take it entirely out of the realm of 
religion and righteousness. The christian religion re- 
quires its votaries to do all such things in the name 
and spirit of Christ, and for the benefit of humanity. 
So this would rule out all gratification or manifestation 
of any personal feelings. For any mere personal feel- 
ings would remove it from the realm of reproof to 
that of reproach and personal abuse. The former 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 239 

springs from love, and the latter from hatred; the 
former is due to the love of righteousness, and the 
latter to the love of sin and self; in the first case the 
man wants to help his brother, and in the latter he is 
anxious to hinder him. The difference between the 
spirit and motive of the two separate them from each 
other as far as the poles. And it is the spirit and 
motive of these acts that decide their moral character. 
If the spirit and motive of such acts are Christlike 
such acts are christian ; if they are otherwise, such acts 
are selfish and Satanic. 

1. The first object of christian reproof is to save 
the sinner. All sin of any kind destroys the soul of the 
sinner. But Christ "came to seek and to save that 
which was lost." — Luke 19 : 10. Christ expects us to 
help him save the world. No man can be saved except 
by being saved from sin. No man is saved at all who 
is not saved from sin. No man can be saved from 
hell unless and until he is saved from sin. The fact is, 
the greatest hell a man can have is the consciousness 
of the guilt and power of his own sins. Therefore the 
first step toward real salvation is to turn the heart 
and mind of the sinner against it, so that he will want 
to forsake it entirely and forever. This is done by 
declaring God's righteousness, Rom. 3 : 25f, and His 
hatred against sin. This not only requires sin to be 
exhibited in all of its vileness and fullness, but also 
God's requirements of righteousness, and His holy 
wrath against all unrighteousness. Black never looks 
so black as when seen against a dark background. So 
sin never looks so dark and hideous as when reflected 
from th£ mirror of God's holy word, and emphasized 



240 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

by the pure and beautiful life of Christ, and the abso- 
lute necessity of an infinite atonement for sin. The 
enormous price of the redemption of the human race 
is paralleled only by the awful depravity of a sin- 
cursed world. So preaching Christ and His holy word 
under the power of the Spirit convicts men of the 
vileness and sinfulness of sin. No man can properly 
reprove sin without also holding up the requirements 
of the law, and the infinite merits of the atonement. 

The reproof may be for a single sin, or for an ex- 
tended course of sinfulness. Moses and David, Saul 
and Eli, Peter and Simon the sorcerer, Ananias and 
Sapphira, were all rebuked for single sins, any one of 
which would cause the one committing it to lose his 
soul. We have satisfactory evidence that several of 
these were saved by their timely reproof; while some 
by a brazen course of deception added one sin to an- 
other, until there seemed to be no hope of renewing 
their reprobate minds and hearts. All preaching to 
sinners is a sort of a rebuke to a life of sin. And all 
faithful preaching is a rebuke to sin and sinfulness. 

The object of all christian reproof is "not to suffer 
sin upon him, " Lev. 19 : 17 ; to "convert a sinner from 
the error of his way, and save a soul from death," 
Jas. 5 : 20 ; to restore one "overtaken in a fault" back 
to the christian life again, Gal. 6:1; that they may 
thereafter "be sound in the faith," Tit. 1 : 13. 

For this reason if possible all reproof should be 
given in such a spirit and manner as will lead men to 
repentance and to salvation ; not that all reproof ac- 
complishes its purpose, for it does not. Neither does 
the evident impossibility of accomplishing the/eal pur- 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 241 

pose of all reproof relieve men of all responsibility for 
its administration. For ministers are to declare the 
whole counsel of God against sin, "whether men will 
hear or whether they will forbear." — Ezek. 2 : 5-7 ; 
3 : 11, 25-27. This word is the more necessary, be- 
cause most people neglect the duty of christian re- 
proof, for the reason that it will do no good, or more 
harm than good. If all christians were to act upon 
such principles and impulses, nothing would ever be 
done. It is always easy to find or invent excuses for 
not doing unpleasant duties. God knew that. So that 
He gave repeated commands to be faithful in admoni- 
tion. : ; : | ■ | 

Rebuke refers to the past or present, while warning 
refers to the present or future. Rebuke is directed 
toward sins already committed, or to sins now in the 
process of commission, in order to prevent if possible 
their commission or repetition. Warning is directed 
more to the results of sins to ourselves and to others, 
and to the punishments coming to our sins sooner or 
later. So then warning and admonition usually come 
before reproof. We cannot warn a sinner about the 
past. Neither can we reprove a man for something in 
the future. 

2. Reproof is not only for the purpose of saving 
the sinner who has already committed sin, or who has 
been or is still living a life of sin, but it is also to hinder 
others from following his evil example, and commit- 
ting sin also. Reproof is not only for saving those 
who have already gone into sin, but also to save people 
from going into sin. The whole object of christian 
reproof is to save men from a life of sin to a life of 



242 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

righteousness. As the second object of reproof is to 
save men from the influence of a bad example in lead- 
ing them to commit sin, those sins which are known 
to few, many or all, which are liable to lead any astray, 
are to receive a public rebuke, or at least before those 
whom they are liable to influence toward evil. So 
Paul rebuked Peter down at Antioch for his politic, 
cowardly course, which was liable to subvert and in- 
jure the whole Church there. For his course had al- 
ready caused Barnabas and the Jews there to play the 
hypocrite, too. — Gal- 2 : 11-13. 

This same principle settles it upon the other hand, 
that when a sin is not known to many or any others, 
the reproof is to be private, "between thee and him 
alone." — Mat. 18:15. For the main object of all re- 
proof, which is the restoration of the erring, is accom- 
plished by private reproof; whereas there is no danger 
from the influence of a bad example, unless it is 
unknown. Moreover, courtesy to the sinner and his 
friends, as well as the evil influence of bad example, re- 
quires that we make no unnecessary breach upon 
privacy. A kind, considerate and modest spirit does 
not desire any unnecessary exposure of the life or 
conduct of any sinner. Christian modesty dislikes 
unpleasant notoriety either for one's self or other peo- 
ple. A needless desire to give public reproof generally 
springs from a secret malice or an ambition to hu- 
miliate another by exposing him or publicly slurring 
him. The earnest desire to do a person good will and 
does cause one to want to make the reproof private 
and avoid all public exposure. 

Of course there are some who can never be re- 



REPENTANCE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 243 

formed from their long life of both secret and open 
sins except through public exposure and rebuke. This 
is true of grafting politicians, bootleggers and some 
other kinds of brazen sinners. Those who have fol- 
lowed a course of open flagrant sin for a long time are 
rarely reached by effeminate admonition. They usual- 
ly need heroic treatment. Then such exposure is some- 
times necessary to protect a thoughtless, credulous, 
hoodwinked public from unjust and dangerous imposi- 
tion, and also to enlist their opposition to contagious 
sins. 

The Scriptures too, insist that dangerous sins be 
exposed and rebuked. Paul exhorted Timothy, "Them 
that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." 
— I Tim. 5 : 20. Fear of punishment here as well as 
hereafter keeps a great many men from sinning. The 
Lord gave a command to Moses, that if a man's near- 
est relative or dearest friend tried to lead them into 
idolatry, the whole congregation were to assist in ston- 
ing him, "so that all Israel may hear and fear, and 
shall do no more any such wickedness among you. ,, 
— Deu. 13 : 6-11. It was because of their influence for 
evil, that God commanded the Canaanites and the 
Amalekites to be destroyed. For a greater reason, 
were the prophets of Baal and of the grove to be com- 
pletely annihilated. 

3. The Church of Christ represents Him on the 
earth. In it is supposed to be preached the truth as 
it is in Jesus, and in it is supposed to be practiced 
the precepts of Jesus. The members of Christ's Church 
are expected to believe and practice His teaching, and 
to be imbued with His spirit, and manifest it too. The 



244 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

people of the world form their conception of Christ and 
His kingdom from the doctrine preached by His min- 
isters, the conduct and conversation practiced, and the 
spirit manifested by both ministers and members. 

These things being true, how important it is for 
Christ's representatives on earth to be like him, so as 
not to misrepresent him. Sinners will not believe 
christians no matter how they preach, profess or be- 
lieve, if they tolerate anything less or different in 
themselves or others. If the practice of christians is 
all right, while they tolerate with indifference all the 
crookedness of others, men of the world will surely 
think that their righteous practices are merely for 
policy's sake, for a business or political pull, or for 
social position. For instance, the shrewdest politicians 
of the present day are not hard drinkers, but only 
moderate drinkers, or even total abstainers. They will 
point with pharisaic pride to their own practice, and 
then with an air of condescension and mock mercy, 
will prate about personal liberty, and the right of the 
majority to rule. The first appeals to the temperance 
people, and the second to the whiskey folks. So this 
plan is the politician's bid for both classes. 

There are professing christian people also who will 
practice personal righteousness to win the confidence 
and good will of the good. At the same time they 
will tolerate all the crooked conduct, and the heretical 
teaching of the wicked for mere fear or for favor. 
Such people are usually more lenient toward respect- 
able sinners than they are toward the strictest saint. 
They will bring the sturdiest saint to trial while ex- 
cusing the backslidden professor, and smuggling the 



REPENTANCE OE OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS 245 

crookedness of the hypocrite. Such people fear good 
straight, strong' preaching. They do not care for 
preaching on mere experiences. They can profess all 
and the highest, and usually do. But it is when the 
minister preaches on the actual living, that they ob- 
ject. People can see whether men are living straight 
or not ; but they cannot always see whether another has 
the genuine experience or not. This class of people 
see that it is a wiser policy than to preach a very high 
standard, and live a very low one ; for such a course 
brands themselves as hypocrites of a very high order. 
While following this politic course, such a person may 
pose as a very strict and solemn saint, but also as one 
who is very kind, sympathetic and indulgent toward 
the weaknesses and even the wickednesses of others. 
And this course, no matter whether natural, or affected 
for policy's sake, is very pleasing to the weak and the 
wicked. But the world intuitively recognizes the secret 
motives of moral action, whether it can clearly define, 
or fully analyze them or not. 

When christian people tolerate any kind of conduct 
in others unrebuked, they are virtually declaring to 
the world that they approve of such conduct, and that 
they think that Christ approves of it. So in general 
the world believes that what a Church tolerates in 
practice, as well as preaches in word, represents Jesus 
Christ to the world, or at least their conception of 
Him. How important is it then, for every follower of 
Christ to be like Him. "Let every one that nameth 
the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." — II Tim. 
2 : 19. Worldlings often point to what the Church 
tolerates in its members as an excuse for not accept- 



246 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

ing its obligations and privileges. And many leave 
its fold on account of the wickedness and injustice 
practiced and tolerated within her borders. The writ- 
er has often heard members of another denomination 
declare that they would leave their Church if their 
law-making body revoked their rule against question- 
able amusements. Politic toleration of evil benumbs 
the faith, chills the ardor, clips and curbs the courage 
of christian workers, so that they cannot work hope- 
fully or successfully. So that necessary Church dis- 
cipline rids the Church of reproach, and an incubus of 
unhallowed influence which cripples the cause of Christ. 



CHAPTER XVI. 
The Obligations to Forgiveness. 

AS CHRISTIAN reproof is principally for the 
purpose of bringing men to repentance, the 
proper spirit for one who reproves is the for- 
giving spirit. The purpose of repentance is to bring 
men to a sense of their relation and obligation to God, 
a moral condition which will merit forgiveness. Re- 
proof proper is a call for sinners to return to God, to 
seek repentance toward God, and forgiveness from 
God. So reproof is not christian unless its final object 
is the restoration of right relations of men toward 
God and toward their fellowmen, a relation in which 
God can justly honor the propitiation made by Jesus 
Christ for the sins of the world, and forgive the peni- 
tent. 

Neither are men in a right spirit to reprove others 
unless their object is to bring men to repentance, so 
that God can forgive and save them. They must also 
be in a mood to forgive the past conduct of penitent 
sinners, and give them a chance for the future, just as 
God does. As was said before, reproof may sometimes 
be for the protection of others, and to ward off re- 
proach from the Church and cause of Christ. But the 
principal object of reproof is to turn men from their 
sins, and to inculcate in them a desire for righteous- 
ness, which means "repentance toward God, and faith 
toward our Lord Jesus Christ/' — Acts 20 : 21. When 

247 



248 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

reproof is administered in any other manner or spirit 
or for any other purpose, it not only fails to accom- 
plish any spiritual end, but it is likely to accomplish 
an evil one. Reproof in any manner or spirit may 
anger a man, but when performed in wrong spirit it 
nearly always does so, and confirms him in sin and 
impenitence. But when christian reproof is given to 
any reasonable man in the proper manner and spirit, 
it will rarely fail to accomplish some good. The Bible 
very plainly declares the susceptibility of the wise to 
christian reproof. The wise man himself said, "Re- 
buke a wise man, and he will love thee." — Prov. 9 : 8. 
It may not always have the desired effect at first, but 
it will afterward. "He that rebuketh a man, after- 
ward shall find more favor than he that flattereth with 
his tongue." — Prov. 28 : 23. 

When God demands anything of us, He not only 
has a reason, but a good one therefor. So He has 
in this case. There are several reasons expressed or 
implied why erring men should be forgiven when they 
repent. Such an important duty as is this would 
naturally be enforced by numerous Scriptural declara- 
tions, of which there are quite a number. 

I. The first reason for forgiveness on the part of 
men who are offended is to show to others that their 
opposition to sin is not due to malice, but to love and 
an unselfish interest in another's welfare. So many 
neglect, and some even refuse to reprove sin until 
they themselves become angry or malicious, that usual- 
ly the reproved, and often even others, are inclined to 
think that the only motive for personal reproof is to 
give vent to personal spite. Too often this is true. 



THE OBLIGATIONS TO FORGIVENESS 249 

But when it is so, the animus of the reproof is very 
plain from several important and very evident facts. 
The first, as has already been suggested, is their neglect 
or refusal to reprove till their own personal hostility is 
excited. The second evidence is the manner and spirit 
which characterizes the rebuke. In such case the 
reproof will be administered as if it were to punish 
instead of to. reform, to hinder instead of to help, to 
damn and to down instead of to save from sin. The 
third evidence is that when reproof is prompted by 
malignant emotions, forgiveness is refused even when 
explanation or repentance of the offensive conduct is 
both clear and complete. Such course and attitude 
show that the offended hopes that the alleged offense 
is a fact, and that the sinner will continue in his sins. 
Occasionally people are found who are so malicious 
that they wish that the objects of their wrath and 
malice were not only sinful, but so evidently sinful, 
that they would have just cause to abuse and condemn 
them. 

Those who refuse or neglect to reprove till their 
own malignant emotions are aroused, will pour all the 
vials of their wrath upon the objects of their malice 
when they are stirred. This is really not christian 
reproof, but sinful abuse. This very prevalent custom 
leads those who are reproved to suspect or doubt the 
sincerity of those who reprove them. Personal abuse 
always comes from malice ; christian reproof always 
springs from love. For this very reason, one who re- 
proves should never neglect to manifest the spirit of 
love, kindness and forbearance. The purpose of re- 
proof is to help; the object of abuse is to hinder. The 



250 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

real object of christian reproof is to put an offender 
above the reach of future criticism ; the mere accuser 
and abuser does not care whether the object of his 
malice is ever any better or not. In fact, he would 
rather an offender would become worse instead of bet- 
ter. Some such has been heard to express his purpose 
to say or do something to excite the object of his wrath 
to say or do reprehensible things. Such a foe pro- 
fesses to abuse because the other is bad; but secret- 
ly wishes he were worse instead of better. It is not 
because the other fellow is bad that he pours out the 
vials of his wrath upon him; but because he himself 
is mad. The christian reproves because he loves; the 
sinner abuses because he hates. The christian desires 
to help the other fellow up ; the sinner wishes to kick 
him down. The christian yearns to exalt Christ; the 
sinner wishes to exalt himself. The christian is anxious 
to eradicate sin out of the world and its people; the 
sinner desires to rid the world of the victim of his 
malice, no matter whether he be saint or sinner, right 
or wrong. 

II. Then again, forgiveness is a part of justice 
from man to man. Justice requires a man to forgive 
an offender when he repents, for the reason that un- 
forgivingness is a kind of punishment inflicted upon 
an offender for his transgressions. So unforgivingness 
should cease when wrong-doing, its cause, ceases. To 
continue to hold a grudge against an offender after 
he repents of his wrongs is on par with holding ill-will 
against man when he has done nothing. It is unjust 
and dishonest to attribute to a man something of which 
he has never been guilty. It is also dishonest and un- 



THE OBLIGATIONS TO FORGIVENESS 251 

just to continue to attribute to a man what he has 
ceased to practice, or an act which he has really per- 
formed, but which he has also afterward repented 
of, and repudiated and repaired as far as possible. The 
purpose is the sin, and the sin ceases when the purpose 
ceases, and the sinner is penitent. God always ceases 
to punish, in part at least, the man who forsakes his sin. 
The principal object of punishment here in this world 
is to reform men from committing sin, and when the sin 
ceases, the principal object of the punishment ceases. 
There are three prominent purposes of punishment 
here in this world. The first and principal purpose is 
to discourage or to prevent men from committing sin 
if possible. This is also the first great purpose of 
all punishment in well-ordered governments, no mat- 
ter whether it succeeds in reforming men or not. The 
second purpose of punishment is to prevent men from 
returning to the sins which they have forsaken. It is 
usually more difficult to win men from their sins than 
it is to prevent their return to the sins which they 
have forsaken. For that reason, the more severe pun- 
ishments are administered to those who still continue 
to practice their sins. The third object of punishment 
is to warn others not to follow the evil example of 
those who are in sin. This is part of the object of 
christian reproof. "Them that sin, rebuke before all, 
that others also may fear." — I Tim. 5 : 20. But while 
all the punishment here in this world is more or less 
reformatory, in the next it is purely punitive. Now 
reproof is more or less of the nature of punishment. 
But as a punishment it is almost wholly reformatory, 
or preventative, as in the case above cited. But see- 



252 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

ing- that it is mostly if not wholly reformatory or pre- 
ventative, care should be taken that it is so admin- 
istered that it may truly accomplish the end for which 
it is designed. 

Again, needless pain should not be inflicted on any- 
body. Persistent unforgivingness toward genuinely 
penitent persons does no good, unless perchance it acts 
as a deterrent against the repetition of wrong. This 
it may do. But if unforgivingness is continued very 
long, it may have an effect just the opposite, and 
drive the penitent back into sin again. The persistent 
withholding of forgiveness from one who has repented 
of his sins may finally cause the penitent to return to 
his sins on the ground that people treat him just as 
bad when he tries to do right as when he does wrong. 
Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church to receive the 
offender against the order of the Church, and "for- 
give him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one 
should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow." — 
II Cor. 2 : 6-8. He said further that his punishment 
inflicted of many was sufficient ; thus intimating that 
any more would be unjust. Cf. also I Cor. 5 : 4-13. 
This same rule properly applied to christian reproof 
would require it to be sufficient if possible to accom- 
plish the offender's reform ; and would indicate that 
any more than that would be unjust. 

Moreover, genuine repentance is the struggle of a 
weak or wicked soul against the powers of evil, when 
the soul single-handed is insufficient to cope with all 
the supernatural forces of evil, and needs all the help 
human and divine that is available. It is a serious 
matter to any soul to crush its maiden efforts at self- 



THE OBLIGATIONS TO FORGIVENESS 253 

recovery. It may not only weaken or destroy its ef- 
forts, but it may seriously wound the soul, crush the 
heart, break the will, and overthrow its purpose for 
righteousness. At no time in life does neglect or 
opposition, insult or unkindness, stab the heart as 
deeply as now. For it is just now newly opened and 
tender; it expects help, and receives hindrance; asks 
bread, and gets a stone; craves sympathy and gets 
snubs. Nothing is so encouraging to a sincere peni- 
tent as is hearty forgiveness at the crucial moment; 
and nothing is more discouraging as for repentance 
to be met with a cold or bitter or an unforgiving spirit. 
III. This suggests the third point. The moral 
influence of merited forgiveness freely bestowed is 
very great. Christian forgiveness bestowed with cor- 
diality and dignity is a strong incentive to love and 
righteousness. Many an anxious person has hesitated 
and even refused to repent, simply because he feared 
that his repentance would not meet with due forgive- 
ness. Some seem to think also that genuine repen- 
tance on their part would only give their enemies a 
better opportunity to inflict malice upon them. In- 
deed causes are not infrequent where people appear to 
feel that their own repentance and confession would 
deprive them of needed protection against unjust and 
unforgiving people. Paul wrote to the Romans that 
it was God's goodness and kindness which led them 
to repentance. — Rom. 2 : 4. The manifestation of the 
same qualities on the part of man would no doubt 
have the same effect as would their manifestation by 
God Himself. We are sure also that the discreet ex- 
hibition of the benevolent graces and feelings by men 



254 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

would intensify penitence where it already existed, as 
well as, and as easy as, produce it where it did not 
exist. Most observant people have seen it done, even 
where they have not been expecting it. Forgiveness 
freely and fully bestowed always excites a benevolent 
feeling in the heart of the recipient, and also in the 
heart of the observer of it. It also generates and 
develops manliness and Christlikeness in the soul of 
the one who bestows it. This of itself indicates that 
it is right. For no moral act whose reflex influence is 
so wholesome can possibly be evil, but must be good. 
Otherwise the constitution of the moral universe is so 
much at fault that a wrong act can have a good reflex 
influence. But such a supposition is absurd. 

On the other hand, either punishment or the fear 
of it may affect the outward conduct without affecting 
the heart and soul. It not only may, but often does, 
for it has been frequently observed. Christ Himself 
preached the law, and the terrible retribution that 
follows its infraction, in order to bring men to re- 
pentance, and succeeded. But while He closed His 
ministry in warning the scribes and Pharisees of the 
eight terrible woes which He pronounced upon hypo- 
crisy and respectable sin, He began it by promulgating 
the eight beautiful beatitudes for the righteous. And 
while there are seven parables of judgment in the 
gospels, there are eight parables of grace. This shows 
that more emphasis is placed upon the benevolent 
side of the gospel than upon the malevolent side. 
Moreover goodness, forbearance and longsuffering 
are likely to affect the heart first, and the conduct 
afterward. But the outward life is sure sooner or 



THE OBLIGATIONS TO FORGIVENESS 255 

later to adjust itself in accordance with the moral 
and affectional condition of the heart. The Bible re- 
peatedly emphasizes this fact. In fact, it repeatedly 
states that it is impossible for the outward life to 
continue wrong while the heart is right. Whereas 
under fear the outward conduct may be changed, with- 
out having any definite or permanent moral influence 
on the heart. The spirit of our conduct has a greater 
influence for good or evil than has the conduct itself. 
And as forgiveness is a manifestation of the spirit of 
a man, it has a great influence on all parties concerned, 
because it is a manifestation of the inner life and dis- 
position of the man. Nothing manifests the inner life 
of a man more than does forgiveness. So forgiveness 
seems to many to indicate the sincerity of the man. 
And as it begets benevolence in general, so it produces 
love between men. 

The Scriptures require us to "provoke one another 
to love and to good works." — Heb. 10 : 24. While 
the temporary withholding of forgiveness from sin- 
cere repentance may serve to fortify the penitent 
against returning to evil because of the dread of the 
repetition of such punishment, such a course will not 
provoke him to love, but more probably to bitterness 
and stubbornness, even while it serves as an incentive 
to righteousness. Withholding of forgiveness may 
breed hypocrisy, too, by causing the offender to pre- 
tend to be penitent so as to avoid such punishment. 
Moreover, such unforgiveness after repentance is sin- 
cere and complete, is not for the purpose of restoring 
the sinner to righteousness, but either to punish him, 
or to gratify the malicious feelings of the unforgiving 



256 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

one. For by supposition, the sinner is already thor- 
oughly penitent, and is righteous in purpose and atti- 
tude already. In this case the offended becomes the 
offender. For when a man thoroughly repents he is 
righteous in purpose, spirit and attitude already. And 
when the offended refuses to forgive such a penitent 
offender, he is virtually saying by such conduct that he 
does not want God Himself to forgive such a one, and 
that he does not want such a one to be saved, no mat- 
ter whether he repents or not. Unforgiving people 
also have a secret hope that God will not forgive a 
man whom they refuse to forgive. Such people are 
enemies both to God and to righteousness, as well as 
to the persons whom they hate. 

Scripture principles require men not to quench in 
a penitent sinner any sincere desires to repent, but 
rather to encourage them. From above quoted pas- 
sages, it is seen that a disposition on the part of the 
offended to forgive a penitent leads him to repentance. 
When Paul wrote to the Romans chiding them for 
their hard-heartedness, he said, "Or despisest thou the 
riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuf- 
fering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth 
thee to repentance?" — Rom. 2:4. The Psalmist ex- 
pressed the same sentiment when he said, "There is 
forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared," or 
obeyed, for that is the meaning of fear in this passage 
— Ps. 130 : 4. This shows that God hopes to win men 
to loyalty and obedience to Himself by holding out 
to them the hope of forgiveness, not by refusing it. 
Isaiah lends his support to the same teaching. He de- 
clares that encouragement and forgiveness (for for- 



THE OBLIGATIONS TO FORGIVENESS 257 

giveness is implied in strengthening and confirming 
weak souls in their righteous purposes) will lead the 
blind to open their eyes and the deaf to unstop their 
ears. — Isa. 35 : 3-5. God wants to give every man a 
chance to be saved, and desires his people to do the 
same thing. Christ urged the people of Jerusalem to 
repent so that He might forgive and save them; but 
they would not. So earnest and anxious was He that 
He preached and prayed and wept that they might 
repent, and yet they refused. — Mat. 23 : 37-39. Indeed, 
He not only wept bitterly, but he seemed, yea, He was 
heart-broken because they did not repent. He was 
just as anxious to forgive them as He was to have 
them to repent. For God always forgives a man when 
his repentance is both clear and complete. There are 
positively no exceptions to this rule in the Scriptures. 
For repentance forced from fear of punishment is really 
no repentance at all. And God wants His people to fol- 
low the same course toward the penitent that He does. 
IV. The Golden Rule is applicable here as well 
as elsewhere. Men must "do unto others as they 
would have others to do unto them" in forgiveness as 
in other things. Paul taught the two great principles 
of forgiveness and helpfulness, and gave the reasons 
for his advice, when he wrote to the Galatians, "Breth- 
ren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are 
spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, 
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."' — 
Gal. 6:1. If men have sinned, and yet have repented, 
they want both their Creator and their fellowmen to 
forgive them. If so, they must treat others likewise. 
The same spirit must also mold and temper all their 



258 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

reproofs. Their reproofs must be given in such a 
spirit and manner as would lead others to repentance 
and faith. Men inspire faith in God when they inspire 
faith in themselves as christians. If sinners see that 
professing christians are unforgiving and revengeful, 
they are likely to think that God is unforgiving and 
revengeful also. When christians quickly and readily 
forgive those who repent, penitents are easily led to 
believe that the God of these same christians will 
readily and freely forgive also. 

In order to accomplish this result, reproof must be 
prompted by a forgiving spirit, and manifest it, too. 
Reproof prompted by an unforgiving spirit will rarely 
if ever inspire a spirit of repentance in the reproved, 
but more likely rebellion and stubbornness. Such re- 
proof is not likely to be reproof at all, but malicious 
abuse. When the object of reproof sees that the re- 
prover desires the highest good of the penitent, and 
that he is kindly and faithfully working to that end, 
personal admonition will as a rule not only be taken 
kindly, but the offender is more likely to turn to God 
and to righteousness. When men remember the pit 
from which they have been digged, and their liability 
to fall therein again, their reproofs will more probably 
be tempered with kindness and mercy. Men excite 
in others the emotions they feel in their own souls. 
If they manifest kindness, they will inspire kindness; 
if they manifest an unforgiving spirit, they will arouse 
an unforgiving spirit; if they are merciful and kind, 
others will be also. So we must be what we desire 
others to be. This is the tallest kind of preaching. 
Men will listen to a good wholesome example far 



THE OBLIGATIONS TO FORGIVENESS 259 

quicker than they will a multitude of pious platitudes 
and empty argument. Men must not only be what 
they seem, they must also be what they preach. Most 
people are convinced by conduct far easier than they are 
by assumed eloquence. 

V. There are several Scriptural reasons why men 
should forgive everyone who repents. The plain com- 
mands to forgive are re-enforced by frequent repeti- 
tion. Its importance and also its neglect demanded 
reiteration. Immediately following the first statement 
of forgiveness in the Lord's prayer, Christ repeats 
the necessity of forgiving all men that the offerer of 
the petition may receive an answer to his own peti- 
tions. The reason assigned is very clear and em- 
phatic and positive. "For if ye forgive not men their 
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your tres- 
passes." — Mat. 6 : 14f. The reason here given is that 
God will treat us just like we treat our fellowmen. 
If we forgive, so will He. If we do not forgive, neith- 
er will He. If we forgive partially or reluctantly, He 
will do likewise. If we forgive cordially and freely, 
He will abundantly pardon also. — Isa. 55 : 7. If we 
refuse to forgive a penitent, He will refuse to forgive 
us too. If we forgive men when they repent, God 
says He forgives us as we forgive our fellowmen. 
And praying in His name for forgiveness, we are ask- 
ing Him to treat us just like we treat our fellowmen ; 
just as good, and just as bad ; just as merciful and kind, 
and just as reluctant and reserved. 

In Mark 11 : 25, it is written, "And when ye stand 
praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that 
your Father also may forgive you your trespasses." 



260 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

Here forgiveness on the part of man is represented as 
a necessary preparation on the part of that man to 
reeieve the divine forgiveness. It is a necessary prere- 
quisite, a sine qua non, for us to forgive our fellowman, 
if we ever expect to receive any forgiveness from God. 

Paul assigns another reason. He cites the trans- 
cendant example of Christ for us to follow. — Eph. 
4: 32 ; Col. 3 : 13. In the latter passage he exhorts men 
to "forgive one another, if any man have a quarrel 
against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do 
ye." In the other passage the Ephesians are exhorted 
to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving 
one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath for- 
given you." Paul exhorts his converts to be as kind 
and forgiving to one another as God the Father and 
Christ the Son have been forgiving to them. The 
implication is, that if they do not, they are not like 
either God or His Son Jesus Christ. Another thing 
implied in the verses preceding those quoted is, that 
forgiveness is necessary to keep bitterness out of their 
hearts, and also to cultivate the kind, gentle and tender 
qualities of Jesus Christ, and be Christlike. 

Then again, forgiveness is taught by the fact that 
God severely punishes those who refuse to forgive. 
In the parable of the unmerciful servant, the servant 
who was unmerciful, and who had already received 
free and full forgiveness, had his own forgiveness re- 
voked when he refused to forgive his own brother 
when he repented and asked forgiveness. If this par- 
able means anything it means that if christians should 
backslide so far as to refuse to forgive their fellowmen, 
God would revoke all His former forgiveness to them. 



CHAPTER XVII. 
Necessary Conditions for Forgiveness. 

AS MANY persons have run into erroneous no- 
tions in regard to christian reproof, so have 
they run into foolish and unwarranted notions 
regarding christian forgiveness. It is passing strange 
that some will teach that men must forgive one an- 
other on different conditions from those on which 
God forgives them — or rather on no conditions at all. 
Nearly all christians of all denominations will con- 
tend that God will not forgive any man unless and 
until he repents and believes. So far he is orthodox 
and Scriptural. But should the same persons be asked 
on what grounds must men forgive one another, many 
of them will declare upon none at all. Should the 
average christian man be asked if God ever forgives 
an impenitent sinner, he will very emphatically say, 
''Never." Yet many such persons will insist that men 
must forgive one another upon no condition at all, 
and immediately. In fact, many persons declare that 
men must forgive those who sin against them know- 
ingly and intentionally, no matter whether they cease 
from their sins, right their wrongs, apologize or con- 
fess or not. They never seem to see any inconsistency 
between their insistence that God will never forgive 
a man till he repents and also believes, and at the 
same time insisting that men must always do what 
they declare God will never do under any circum- 



262 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

stances, that is, forgive a man before he repents and 
believes. Nearly every minister and layman, chris- 
tian and sinner, the scholar and illiterate person will 
assert that God will never forgive anyone except on 
repentance and faith. Yet on the other hand many 
will contend that everybody, everywhere and under 
all circumstances, must forgive all offenders whether 
they repent, confess or believe or not. 

It is usually very noticeable that such people do 
not practice what they preach. It has been observed 
that the same people who insist most strongly upon 
this doctrine of forgiveness without repentance will 
hold grudges for years against those who have of- 
fended them, and sometimes when there is no reason- 
able grounds for offense. Furthermore, they will be 
most bitter and unrelenting toward some one who has 
wronged them, or offended them, but who has also 
repented, confessed, and made reparation as far as 
possible. It is very noticeable that the people who 
always emphasize mercy at the expense of justice, and 
love at the expense of righteousness, will not manifest 
either love or righteousness or mercy when they are 
offended. 

But there are several arguments from both reason 
and revelation why one should not forgive an intelli- 
gent offender till he repents. Nothing can be morally 
right which cannot be supported by both reason and 
revelation. There are several reasons why men should 
not forgive the impenitent. They are divided into 
three general classes. They are because of the effect 
of such forgiveness upon the offender himself; be- 
cause of its effect upon the moral sense of the one 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 263 

who forgives ; and because of its effect upon the stand- 
ing of God before the world. 

I. Forgiving an impenitent sinner accomplishes 
no good end, but may and often does an evil one. There 
is nothing in such forgiveness to inspire or encourage 
an impenitent sinner to lead a better life, or to cause 
him to have a higher regard for truth and righteous- 
ness, for God or man, for the law or the gospel. In 
fact, it would lower them all in his estimation. Why 
should a man make any effort for reformation or im- 
provement if he can have the same standing, respect, 
confidence and treatment without doing better. For 
sinners are looking for the advantages of different 
kinds of conduct. There is no inspiration in forgive- 
ness to any man unless such a man desires to do bet- 
ter. Forgiveness can never inspire a man to moral 
effort who has no moral aspirations. Forgiveness in 
such case only smooths the way for a sinner to 
continue in evil doing. Moral conduct and associa- 
tion should be such as to encourage and pave the way 
for the good, and to hinder and discourage the 
bad. 

1. Forgiveness without repentance does not have 
a good effect in Church life. Forgiving an impenitent 
sinner is on par with the system of Catholic indulg- 
ences, according to which priests forgive all kinds of 
unrepented sin upon the payment of so much money. 
On the other hand they absolutely refuse to forgive 
unless they are paid so much money, no matter wheth- 
er the sin is confessed, the wrong is righted, or the 
sinner is perfectly penitent or not. Doing penance 
and paying indulgence with them takes the place of 



264 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

genuine repentance, which absolutely demands the 
complete cessation from all sin, and the reparation of 
all wrong as far as possible. This system of indulg- 
ences only encourages the votaries of Catholicism in 
sin. Here we see the general effects of forgiveness 
without repentance in another form. Instead of pre- 
venting or hindering or discouraging sinning, it really 
encourages it. For the Catholic laity are perfectly 
willing to pay large indulgences to the priesthood for 
the unrestricted privilege of committing sin. Just as 
many a drunkard would rather pay large and repeated 
fines, and serve long and numerous jail sentences, than 
to quit his cups, save his fines and enjoy his liberty. 
Paying fines, serving time, or doing penance does not 
in the least deter the activity of strong criminal in- 
stincts. Many a criminal has coolly made all prepara- 
tions to pay his fine, and serve his sentence before com- 
mitting his crime. Neither fine nor imprisonment is 
any deterrent to such characters. 

The system of indulgences never won Anybody 
to reformation of heart and life. Neither does Protes- 
tant forgiveness without repentance accomplish any 
more than does Catholic forgiveness without repent- 
ance. Yet some Protestants will bitterly condemn 
Catholic indulgences and at the same time strenuously 
insist upon the Protestant system of indulgences. But 
is one system very much better than the other? If 
there is any difference it seems to be in favor of the 
Catholic system. For in some ways the Catholic sys- 
tem seems to accomplish more than does the Protest- 
ant system of indulgences. The Catholics, by requir- 
ing their delinquents to make a confession, do penance, 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 265 

or pay a sort of forfeit for each offense, teach them 
that every sin must be accounted for in some way 
sooner or later. Catholicism requires a strict recogni- 
tion and confession of every sin, while the Protestant 
system of indulgences totally ignores all of a man's 
sins, so far as the personal relations of the offender 
and the offended is concerned. And this teaches the 
sinner to do the same thing as to his own sins. For 
this reason it is easier to get a man who has been 
brought up in the Catholic faith, and is really penitent 
to seek and accept salvation than it is a person who 
has been brought up in the Protestant faith. The 
Protestant will so often try to dodge the issue of real 
repentance, confession and reparation, and then seek 
to accept forgiveness by faith. But the Catholic who 
has been taught that every sin must be confessed and 
accounted for, will soon confess and itemize his va- 
rious moral deficiencies and transgressions, and after 
he has reached the end of his conscious transgressions, 
he will recognize that nothing further is required ex- 
cept to receive forgiveness. The Protestant will so 
often dodge the real issue, will generalize, and pray 
in an indefinite way for God to pardon his many sins 
while yet refusing to confess or make due reparation 
for any of them. Indeed when sometimes making a 
general confession of "his many sins as numerous as 
the sands of the sea and as the stars or as the hairs 
of his head," he will indignantly deny any specifica- 
tions as to this or that sin, no matter how glaring or 
evident it may be. These statements are not supposi- 
tions. For every earnest evangelist knows that one 
of the most difficult things he has to do is get even 



266 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

apparently earnest seekers to acknowledge that they 
ever did any particular wrong. They have been taught 
to forgive each other without repentance, and even 
that God will in some instances forgive simply on 
faith, that even now they hope to receive forgiveness 
from God without full repentance. As God does not 
and will not forgive the intelligently impenitent, such 
seeking souls soon get to that place where it is evi- 
dent to themselves and to everybody else that they 
are making no progress in their quest for salvation. 
On the other hand, Catholics come to the altar, and 
having been taught that all sin must be recognized, 
confessed and atoned for in some way, they confess 
their sins, and are ready to make reparation as they 
were ready formerly to do penance. In that state it 
is usually very easy to lead them to accept Christ as 
their atonement and Savior. So they accept pardon 
and salvation through Him. They quickly grasp the 
essentials of salvation by faith. So it rarely takes 
long to get a penitent Catholic through to victory. 

There is, however, one exception to the above 
principle, but it is only a seeming exception. This is 
the case where a man does not repent because he 
fears he will not be forgiven, nor have a fair chance 
if he should repent. In such a case, free and full for- 
giveness will often bring such a man to active re- 
pentance. This has frequently occurred. But the 
philosophy of it is not so pertinent to the case as it 
seems. For such a man has really had the spirit of 
repentance before ; but possibly did not manifest it for 
fear the unforgiving would take advantage of his con- 
cessions and penitence. So forgiveness bestowed up- 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 26t 

on him did not really bring him to repentance, but 
simply opened up the way for its manifestation. 

Priestly absolution and indulgence are responsible 
for much of the sin and corruption in the Catholic 
Church. For there was a decline in conscientious 
righteous living as soon as the system of indulgences 
was introduced. Furthermore, there will never be any 
substantial reformation or revival of righteousness in 
that Church till the system is completely and perma- 
nently banished. For the system of indulgences will 
never accomplish any good moral purpose anywhere, 
at any time, or in any Church. It is not taught by the 
word of God nor by reason. And it will not stand the 
test of logic or of life either. 

2. Forgiveness without repentance will not suc- 
ceed in the home any more than it does in the Church. 
It nearly always shows itself to be a failure in the 
home. Forgiving a sinner before he repents only con- 
firms a sinner in his sins. This is very clearly seen in 
the case of indulgent parents who never punish nor 
reprove their children for any misconduct whatever, 
no matter how bad it may be, or how impenitent or 
determined their children may be. Such children 
rarely fail to be spoiled. Never punishing nor reprov- 
ing nor calling to account in any way is a plain, practi- 
cal application of the principle of forgiving without 
requiring due repentance. This principle applied in 
the home has the same effect that it has in the Church, 
and it has the same effect upon children that it has 
upon adults. It always spoils them. The principles 
of moral conduct are the same in heaven or earth or 
hell, so far as their moral effect is concerned. And 



26$ THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

it does not matter by whom it is applied by indulgent 
parents, Catholic priests, God in heaven, or by chris- 
tian men upon earth; and no matter whether upon 
children or adults, sinners or criminals, in the Church 
or out. Neither does it matter what the motive may 
be. It may be for mere tender-heartedness, or it may 
be for a moral effect, or it may be for the sake of mere 
policy. But its effect is never for good, but it is usual- 
ly for evil. 

One form of this parental indulgence is seen in 
laughing at children's wrongs, and repeating them or 
referring to them as cute or smart, for the amusement 
or admiration of thoughtless friends. For only the 
thoughtless will approve of such mistakes. When chil- 
dren see that their little petty wrongs are repeated 
for admiration or amusement, they are sure to repeat 
them on all conspicuous occasions. And all thought- 
ful people know that there is no surer or quicker way 
to spoil a child. Either ignoring or repeating blame- 
worthy faults for approval or admiration is a kind of 
forgiveness of such wrongs which fortifies the actors 
against repentance, by forgiving them before they 
repent, or without requiring them to repent. D. L. 
Moody used to say that David spoiled Absalom by 
always forgiving him without requiring him to repent. 

Another sad fact about this is, that parental in- 
dulgence here is responsible for so much of the law- 
lessness of the present day. Children are not made 
amenable to law at home, and are made to believe 
that is not necessary to be subject to law anywhere else. 
Children who are raised to be obedient at home rarely 
become lawless away from home. And children who 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 269 

are allowed to be disrespectful to proper authority at 
home will snap their ringers at the law of the State 
or School or Church. 

3. The futility of forgiveness without repentance 
as a method of reform is even more patent to all ob- 
servers when it is practiced in civil affairs. It will 
not work in the State any better than it does in the 
Church or home. Forgiving an impenitent sinner, and 
ignoring all his faults and vices, does no good to him, 
neither to those who observe it. Leaving numerous 
and heinous sins unrebuked does not reform the one 
guilty of them, but is also very liable to encourage 
others to commit the same sins. Therefore Paul ex- 
horted Timothy to rebuke sin in public places. "Them 
that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." 
I Tim. 5 : 20. Calling transgressors to account, pre- 
vents others from following their evil example. The 
Old Testament required heinous offenders to be stoned 
by the whole congregation to discourage others. There 
are two ways in which the forgiveness of impenitent 
sinners is applied in public life : by acquitting crim- 
inals, and by electing crooked and undeserving men 
to office. 

The forgiveness of criminals is manifest in several 
ways. Just after the writer graduated from college 
he supplied a Church in the most wicked community 
he ever saw. Sometimes malicious murderers were 
not even pursued out of town. In many instances no 
effort at all was made to bring criminal offenders to 
justice. Crime held high carnival, and was frequent 
and of the worst sort. Neither life nor property was 
safe. Numerous places in the town and surrounding 



270 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

community were pointed out where men were robbed 
or mobbed, slugged or killed. The criminally inclined 
dared to do almost anything, for they were rarely 
brought to justice. This is always the case where 
crime is not arrested nor punished nor even rebuked. 
The fact is that mere rebuke or publicity is too tame 
for the restraint of the natural criminal. As he is 
usually given to violence nothing less or different from 
violence appeals to him. The maudlin measures of 
puerile pardon and sickly sentimentality do not move 
the reckless rushing criminals from their impetuous 
course. For this reason also, the community very 
often neglects to punish a crime for fear of suffering 
a greater crime against the persons or property in it. 
But the neglect to punish crime is the same as forgiv- 
ing crime so far as its moral effects are concerned. 

This unreasoning forgiveness is sometimes ex- 
ercised not by the citizenship at large, but by the 
very officials whose duty it is to mete out justice to 
all transgressors of the civil law. It does not matter 
how it is done, whether by packing the jury box with 
biased jurors, or by bribing them after they have 
been indiscriminately chosen, by the false testimony 
of bribed or prejudiced witnesses, or by the setting 
aside of the verdict by the judge, or by the appeal to 
a higher court, and being by it reversed, suspended, 
or remanded for a new trial. But no matter what 
the cause of the perversion of the justice is, the moral 
effect is always and everywhere the same. This de- 
cision is not modern by any manner of means. The 
wise man of ancient days recognized it and expressed 
it nearly three thousand years ago. "Because sentence 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 271 

against an evil work is not speedily executed, there- 
fore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to 
do evil." — Eccl. 8 :11. This phraseology may express 
suspension only, or the temporary forgiveness of 
transgression, but the moral effect upon mankind is 
just the same. It emboldens the criminally inclined. 
If the temporary suspension of the penalties of trans- 
gression encourages men to commit sin ; how much 
more will the knowledge of its permanent suspension 
encourage them in sin and crime. 

Then again, if penalty prevents or discourages 
crime, there are two facts which would if pressed 
home upon the convictions of the people, prevent or 
discourage transgression of the law. These two facts 
are the certainty and severity of the penalty. The les- 
sening of either one of these would tend to lighten its 
influence upon mankind. Mere doubt as to the inflic- 
tion of any punishment often encourages men in sin 
and wrong. Men will take a risk if they think that pun- 
ishment is not at all certain. Then sometimes punish- 
ment is so light that it has no deterrent effect upon 
men. The heavier the penalties are. the more they 
deter from the commission of crime. Men in judicial 
positions recognize this, and make the laws so as to 
require longer sentences and heavier fines for each suc- 
ceeding crime, so as to have the desired effect. Its effect 
is shown by the fact that there are more light fines and 
short terms than there are of the severer ones. 

There is still another way in which this principle 
is manifest in political life. Promoting the wicked to 
political position is a species of forgiveness to the im- 
penitent wicked, And promoting the wicked also pro- 



272 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

motes wickedness. The recognition of this evil effect 
is not new. The Psalmist observed it centuries ago, 
and said, "The wicked walk on every side, when the 
vilest men are exalted." — Ps. 12 : 8. Promoting the 
wicked in politics has two very bad effects. In the first 
place, it confirms in sin the sinner who is elected, and 
especially if he is elected simply because he is wicked, 
as is sometimes the case. This only encourages such 
a one to be more wicked still. But occasionally the ex- 
altation of evil men by a wicked or thoughtless popu- 
lace arouses the indignant determination of the right- 
eous to overthrow the reign of the wicked as well as 
the reign of wickedness. The triumph of the wicked 
sometimes arouses the righteous to a greater deter- 
mination not to let wickedness prevail. But the effect 
upon the wicked is usually the opposite. Uncondi- 
tional forgiveness not only tends to confirm the wicked 
and impenitent in their sins, but it also encourages 
others to go and do likewise. The wicked and criminal 
classes always rejoice when a wicked man is elected to 
office, or when a man who is considered respectable 
and law-abiding himself, but who is also known to be 
lenient toward criminals, is elected to office. 

II. The moral effect upon the man who forgives 
unconditionally is very marked also, though he may 
not be conscious of it. So there are some good reasons 
against unconditional forgiveness from the standpoint 
of preserving one's own moral integrity and spiritual 
vision. A person is always under obligation to follow 
such a course as will be conducive to his own moral 
integrity and improvement. A man's moral destiny 
is in his own hands. His first duty is toward his own 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 273 

moral self-preservation. And it is not reasonable to 
suppose that God would require anything- of his crea- 
tures which would be detrimental to their own moral 
well-being. In conserving their moral interests they 
will not be able to do anything hurtful to their own 
moral well-being, and while they are treating their 
fellowmen right they will not be able to do anything 
that will hinder their own welfare. 

1. One of the first things that is required of men 
is that they preserve their own sense of justice. And 
the first thing that justice requires of men is to give 
to both friend and foe, to both good and evil, their 
exact dues as far as possible. Genuine justice will not 
permit men to treat both good and evil alike. God 
makes a difference, and wants His people to make a 
difference. The command that Moses gave to his 
judges in cases of controversy is pertinent and appli- 
cable to all people and to all cases. "Then shall they 
justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. " — Deu. 
25 : 1. That is not all. Christians make a difference 
between people of different characters whether it is a 
civil case or not. To do so was a positive requirement 
of those who were to stand in His holy presence. The 
Psalmist asks the question, "Lord, who shall abide in 
thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?" 
Among other conditions named is this one. It is one 
"in whose eyes a vile person is condemned ; but he 
honoreth them that fear the Lord." — Ps. 15 : 1, 4. When 
a man has the nature of God, he will do as God does, 
and as God wants him to do. And one of the things 
that God wants a man to do, and does Himself, is to 
make a difference between right and wrong. 



274 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

2. Another reason why persons should not forgive 
an offender till he repents is, that they may preserve 
their own distinction between right and wrong. For- 
giveness of a repented wrong is a recognition and ap- 
preciation of true penitence. If people treat the im- 
penitent just as they treat the penitent, there is no 
righteous recognition of real repentance. God pro- 
nounces a "woe upon those who call evil good, and 
good evil ; that put darkness for light, and light for 
darkness ; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for 
bitter." — Isa. 5 : 20. Men cannot preserve their own 
distinction between right and wrong, unless they also 
preserve their distinction between penitence and im- 
penitence. For one is right and the other is wrong. 
If the same treatment is accorded the right and wrong, 
and the penitent and the impenitent, it will confuse 
one's distinction between right and wrong. One can- 
not take the same attitude toward both, and yet con- 
tinue to consider them very different. It is just as 
the Poet has said : 

"Vice is a monster of such frightful mien, 
That to be hated needs but to be seen ; 
But seen too oft, familiar with her face, 
We first endure, then pity, then embrace. ,, 

Then taking a kind attitude toward evil, or even a tol- 
erant one, will cause the one who does so to love evil. 
If we take an intolerant attitude toward evil, we will 
finally become so that we cannot tolerate evil. So 
while God continually insists on men having the spirit 
of forgiveness toward the erring, He is both wise and 
good in requiring them to reprove the erring, and then 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS . 275 

to forgive the penitent. Any other course would con- 
fuse their moral distinctions. The divine plan of re- 
proving the sinner, and then forgiving the penitent, 
will not only preserve the distinction between right 
and wrong, but will often sharpen it as well. More- 
over the clearness of men's moral distinctions can be 
preserved only by maintaining these distinctions. The 
neglect of such distinctions is considered very repre- 
hensible. Christ reproved some of the Pharisees be- 
cause they were unable to perceive the moral bearings 
of some of the questions of His day. — Mat. 16: 1-12. 

3. Related to this is another question very similar. 
The Bible requires men to rebuke sin, not condone it. 
Our first duty toward all unrepented sin is to rebuke it. 
—Lev. 19:17; Luke 17 : 3f. The commands to do so 
are repeated in various forms and places. And in the 
very nature of the case, men cannot forgive sin, and at 
the same time rebuke it. For these commands are 
diametrically opposed to each other. Then all the 
divine commands express both the will and the wisdom 
of God, in regard to the thing commanded. And 
refusing to obey such commands, is, in the very nature 
of things, rejecting the will, and challenging the wis- 
dom of God. 

4. Forgiving an impenitent sinner is in a sense 
compromising with evil. Right and justice require 
that one oppose wrong in order to keep from compro- 
mising with it. Neglecting to oppose evil confirms 
men in their sins, and forgiving men who are impen- 
itent tends to confirm them in their impenitence. 
Repentance is turning from the wrong to the right. 
And forgiving the penitent is encouraging men's ef- 



276 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

forts to cease from sin, and to do right. Forgiving 
unrepented evil is compromising with such evil, 
and often injures those who are trying to do right. 
Pilate condoned the malicious accusers of Christ, and 
in a measure forgave them. He could not have con- 
sistently rebuked them without releasing Christ. In 
fact the most effective reproof he could have admin- 
istered to them would have been to have arrested them 
and to have released Christ, especially after he had 
adjudged Christ innocent. In like manner also, Felix, 
Festus and Agrippa must have released Paul from his 
unjust bonds. All of them acknowledged his inno- 
cence, yet all of them catered to his malicious accusers, 
and so far forgave them. Had they have been abso- 
lutely just, they must necessarily have acquitted Paul 
of what they acknowledged as unjust accusations; and 
on the other hand, they should have not only reproved 
his malicious accusers, but have arrested and impris- 
oned them. ' For the Old Mosaic law required all of 
those who were unjust in their attempts to prosecute 
the innocent to suffer just what they wanted the inno- 
cent to suffer.— Deu. 19 : 15-21. 

In forgiving a person who is in the wrong, one 
nearly always injures those who are right. In each 
of the above mentioned cases, the judges forgave and 
ignored the wrong done to an innocent party. In fact, 
forgiving an offender who is still impenitent, is in 
reality siding with the person who is in the wrong, 
instead of with the innocent or righteous. So then 
forgiving an impenitent sinner is in reality compro- 
mising with wrong. Therefore a christian must not 
only refuse to forgive an impenitent person ; but he 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 277 

must also rebuke him to keep from compromising 
with evil. 

5. Then again, forgiving unrepented wrong is be- 
coming partaker of such wrong, and of the sins which 
are forgiven or are condoned. When Pilate surren- 
dered Christ to the bloodthirsty Jews, after he had de- 
clared, "I find no fault in this man," Luke 23 : 4, he be- 
came a partaker of their sins and crime. Washing his 
hands in token of innocency did not make him inno- 
cent. It was his duty to protect the innocent and 
punish the guilty here as much as anywhere else. He 
had declared that Christ was innocent. — Mat. 27 : 11-26. 
When Felix recognized that Paul was innocent, he 
should have released him, and without delay. When 
Festus declared that "he had committed nothing 
worthy of death," Acts 25 : 25, it was wrong even to 
delay his release. When both Festus and Agrippa 
announced that "this man doeth nothing worthy of 
death or of bonds," they should have acted accord- 
ingly and immediately. In neglecting to do so, they 
were forgiving and condoning the unjust and malicious 
conduct of his accusers, and became partakers with 
them of their wickedness. Overlooking, upholding or 
forgiving sins which are unrepented, is becoming par- 
takers of all such sins. 

III. God does not want us to injure His standing, 
nor attack His moral administration of the world's 
affairs- This principle forbids us to exonerate those 
whom he condemns. Loyalty to our Moral Governor re- 
quires us to support Him in His administration. That 
means to abide by His laws, support His officers, 
sanction His plans, favor His friends, and refuse to 



278 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

give protection or comfort to His enemies. The sub- 
ject of obedience to law. and respect and submission 
to all law-abiding authority is taught throughout the 
whole Bible. The same principle applied to the divine 
government, which cannot err, requires us to be faith- 
ful and loyal to it. 

1. The first and one of the most important reasons 
why one should not forgive an impenitent offender 
is that God does not forgive the impenitent. In no place 
do we find the slightest intimation that God ever for- 
gives any man until he repents. The Lord's prayer 
does not teach otherwise. So many say, "We must 
forgive or God will not forgive us." Christians are 
taught to pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we for- 
give those who trespass against us." But many never 
seem to think what all this implies. This does not 
mean that men are to set an example to God, and to 
swing Him into line with them, and to persuade Him 
if possible to be as good and kind to erring men as 
they are; but it is to swing men into line with God. 
And this is to show that men have repented, and have 
fallen into line with God. 

Who would think a judge or juror sane, that would 
say when trying a clear case of criminality, "Now 
brethren, God teaches us to forgive men under all cir- 
cumstances, and so let us obey Him implicitly in this 
case, and turn these criminals loose. Let us not pros- 
ecute them, but just pray for them." No sane law- 
abiding citizen thinks that either judge or juror ought 
to do any such thing. No matter if the criminal pro- 
fesses to repent, clear acquittal would not be wise, for 
usually forced repentance is considered insincere. In 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 279 

fact, most people think that repentance on the dying 
bed is insincere, and that is more serious than indict- 
ment in court. Furthermore, a person who is truly 
penitent is willing to take all that he deserves in the 
way of retribution for wrong, although he may not 
be unwilling to take more than he deserves. Indeed a 
willingness to receive one's just deserts is a part of re- 
pentance. 

Now if a man forgives those who wrong him be- 
fore they repent, and then prays in the words of the 
Lord's prayer, he is simply asking God to forgive him 
before he repents. But no evangelical christian be- 
lieves that God will do that. Yet he is asking God to 
do that very thing if he thus prays, and if he forgives 
the impenitent. But if men will not forgive the im- 
penitent, but will always forgive the penitent, and 
then ask God to forgive them as they forgive, then 
they are asking God to do what it is certain that He 
will do, and has promised to do. Men must always 
pray in the will of God. But they cannot pray in the 
will of God unless they forgive on the same terms as 
those on which they know that God forgives. It must 
be offensive to God for such men to continually pray 
to Him contrary to His own revealed will. In such 
case they have no clear assurance of any answer. 

2. Moreover God does not want a man to forgive 
an offender unless and until he repents. He com- 
mands to rebuke the sinner, but forgive the penitent. 
There are several Scriptural facts to show this. In 
the first place God wants a difference made between 
the good and the bad. One of the characteristics of a 
good man is that he is one "in whose eyes a vile person 



280 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

is condemned; but he honoreth them that fear the 
Lord." — Ps. 15 : 4. God does not treat the good and 
the bad alike; neither does He want men to do so. 
He does not want men to accept those whom He re- 
jects; nor to forgive those whom He rebukes; nor to 
exalt those whom He abases; nor to acquit those 
whom He condemns. It is offensive to God for a man 
to spare those whom He has condemned, or to con- 
demn those whom He has forgiven. God commanded 
Saul to destroy the Amalekites and king Agag. He de- 
stroyed the Amalekites, but spared Agag and the best 
of the cattle and sheep. He lost his throne because 
he forgave Agag for his hostility to God's people, and 
neglected to execute him at God's command. 

Jeremiah upbraids the false prophets for pronounc- 
ing absolution upon the disobedient and impenitent, 
and crying, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace." — 
Jer. 6 : 14; 8 : 11. They would kindly forgive those whom 
God condemned. They would give sweet peace to those 
whom God would trouble on account of their sins, and 
whom He says are "like the troubled sea, when it can- 
not rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There 
is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." — Isa. 57 : 20f. 
Instead of crying peace, peace to them, God would 
have the prophets warn the people of their sins, and 
give them no rest while they continued in their sins. 
But it was such false prophets who taught leniency 
to lechery and lying that persecuted Jeremiah, and 
put him to death. 

Ezekiel preaches in the same strain. The watch- 
man who does not warn and rebuke, but instead 
silently ignores, kindly condones, or leniently forgives, 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 281 

is required to give an account for every soul that is lost 
through his policy or neglect. If man is not warned 
and reproved by the prophet, and the man is lost, God 
will require the blood of that man at his hands. — Ezek. 
33: 1-16. 

Neglecting or refusing to reprove or warn those 
who are wicked, or those with whom God has a con- 
troversy, is very similar to the case of one parent pet- 
ting and defending a naughty child while the other 
parent is trying to correct or to punish it. This is on 
par too, with the case of a person who is trying to 
persuade a man to do right, while another person is 
persuading him to do wrong. This is more than a 
mere illustration. "God is angry with the wicked every 
day." — Ps. 7 : 11. Yet He loves them. And while He 
is indignant at their sins, He is endeavoring to bring 
them to repentance. He never tries to pacify them in 
their sins, unless their doom is sealed, and He is wait- 
ing to cut them off. Yet forgiving them without re- 
quiring them to repent would do that very thing. 

Men are repeatedly commanded to rebuke the sinner. 
Moses commanded, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in 
thine heart ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neigh- 
bor, and not suffer sin upon him." — Lev. 19 :17. Some 
carping critics might complain that that was under the 
Old Testament Dispensation. But the command is just 
as clear in the New Testament, where it is repeated 
several times. There is no higher authority than is 
Christ Himself, and He has given us the clearest state- 
ment on the subject, and in true perspective. He says, 
"Take heed to yourselves ; if thy brother trespass 
against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive 



282 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

him." — Luke 17 :3f. Notice that He does not say, "If 
thy brother trespass against thee, forgive him ; but re- 
buke him." The command is very clear to rebuke the 
sinner, and forgive the penitent. 

3. Furthermore, forgiving a man who is impenitent, 
is honoring a man, and a wicked man at that, at God's 
expense. Forgiving a man is honoring him. And 
every time we forgive an impenitent sinner, we are 
exalting him and honoring him. That detracts just so 
much from the dignity and standing of God. It is a 
humiliation for a man to have his enemies exalted be- 
fore him and against him. But every man who forgives 
an impenitent sinner, one whom God will not forgive, 
is exalting God's enemies before Him, and against Him. 
Men can preserve the standing of God before the world 
only by emphasizing and insisting upon His holiness, 
His unswerving righteousness, and His unchanging re- 
pugnance to all sin. Forgiving those whom God refuses 
to forgive because of their impenitence is virtually say- 
ing that God is unjust to them in not forgiving them, 
and in charging them with a sin which is no sin at all. 
So forgiving an impenitent sinner whom we acknowl- 
edge that God will not forgive, and refuses to forgive, 
is really an attack upon the character and administra- 
tion of God. Then again, people forget that forgiving 
an impenitent sinner lines up both the fopgiver and the 
forgiven against God, for God is against the impenitent. 
When men forgive an impenitent sinner whom they 
acknowledge God will not forgive, that act puts them 
at cross-purposes with God Himself. 

4. Further still, this is attacking the will and the 
law of God as expressed in His word. This is really 



CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS 283 

a kind of mob law, or rather of mob lawlessness, in 
kindly liberating all the criminal culprits of the king- 
dom of darkness, and reinstating them in the kingdom 
of God, and against His will. The person who does 
this, exalts both the sinner and himself against God, 
and over God. This is the very sin which caused Satan 
to be cast out of heaven. This is really rank lawless- 
ness of the worst kind, to acquit without due consider- 
ation all the criminals condemned by the Great Judge. 
We condemn civil officers here for liberating a clear 
case of criminal conduct. We also condemn a judge 
who will try to liberate a man whom the jury has pro- 
nounced guilty, or a sheriff or jailer who will liberate 
a man who has been justly convicted and incarcerated 
in prison. Yet in the case of men, the process of con- 
viction may have been faulty and unjust, and libera- 
tion may have been justifiable. But in the case of the 
Omniscient Judge, what presumption would it be for 
a poor fallen finite man to liberate a man whom He 
has condemned, and forgive those whom He has ad- 
judged guilty! But every one who forgives an im- 
penitent sinner acquits those who stand legally 
condemned, not by man, but by the High Court of 
Heaven. Those who forgave Barabbas, crucified 
Christ. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 
Forgivingness and Forgiveness. 

I. It is a perplexing question to many to adjust 
themselves properly toward the impenitent, and not 
be unforgiving. But christians must always have a 
forgiving spirit toward the sinner, even when they re- 
prove him, and even if he is still impenitent. They 
must forgive all who repent, even to seventy times 
seven times, which really means every time they truly 
repent. This statement teaches that men must always 
have a forgiving spirit toward all men, both friend and 
foe, both good and bad, both penitent and impenitent ; 
but it requires them to forgive the penitent always. 
They must have forgivingness toward both, but for- 
giveness toward all who repent. They must forgive the 
penitent, but they must not forgive the impenitent. 

1. That it is possible to have a forgiving spirit 
toward the impenitent, and yet not forgive them, is 
shown by the fact that God does that very thing, and 
wants us to be like Him in all our moral conduct. The 
clearest expression of this fact is found in Isaiah. He 
expresses it very concisely and precisely when He says 
of God, "that for all this His anger is not turned away ; 
but His hand is stretched out still."— Isa. 5 : 25 ; 9 : 12, 
21 ; 10 : 4. He was still angry with them ; but He was 
still holding out forgiveness to them when they would 
repent. Solomon said of the rebellious, that God was 
offering them pardon, but would permanently close 

284 



FORGIVINGNESS AND FORGIVENESS? 285 

the door of mercy against them unless they repented 
soon. — Prov. 1 : 22-33. Christ showed the same dispo- 
sition toward the impenitent at Jerusalem. After He 
pours forth the vials of His wrath against their re- 
bellion and impenitence, He closes up His plaint with 
a heart-breaking wail over them. If they had repented, 
He would have forgiven them. But as they will not 
repent, He positively and firmly declares that "Ye shall 
not see me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is he 
that cometh in the name of the Lord."— Mat. 23 : 37-39. 
He had forgivingness for them ; but He did not, and 
would, not forgive them till they repented. 

2. On the other hand, both God the Father and 
God the Son show a forgiving spirit toward all who 
repent. In fact, repeated instances show both of them 
forgiving men who manifest any sincere repentance. 
Christ is represented as forgiving men before they 
asked for forgiveness when they repented. When the 
man sick of the palsy was brought before Him, he im- 
mediately forgave him his sins, before a word is re- 
corded as being said, and insisted that they were for- 
given in spite of the objections of the cavilling Jews. — 
Mat. 9 : 2-8. He also forgave the woman taken in 
adultery before she asked for forgiveness. For no 
doubt she expected none. He doubtless saw that she 
was penitent, and refused to listen to the malicious 
accusations of her accusers. — John 8 : 1-11. He always 
seemed anxious and willing to forgive, and it seemed 
to be so easy for Him to forgive. But He was un- 
sparing toward the impenitent. 

II. There are several differences between forgiv- 
ingness and forgiveness. When properly studied, the 



286 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

Scriptures make it all plain. But many christian people 
have never studied the implications of certain passages 
of Scripture with regard to forgiveness. A few con- 
trasts may serve to distinguish more clearly between 
them. 

1. In the first place forgivingness is the disposi- 
tion or spirit ; while forgiveness is the act itself. 

2. Forgivingness is pardon offered on the fulfil- 
ment of the required conditions, but withheld be- 
cause conditions are not complied with ; forgiveness is 
pardon freely bestowed after the proper conditions 
have been fulfilled. 

3. Forgivingness kindly reproves the sinner of his 
sins no matter whether he is penitent or impenitent ; 
forgiveness graciously buries them, and like God Him- 
self kindly defends instead of condemns the forgiven 
penitent, just as Christ did the condemned woman, or 
the man who was healed of the palsy. 

4. Forgivingness reminds the sinner of his sins, so 
that if possible he may be led to repent of them ; for- 
giveness forgets them, and like God, kindly remembers 
them no more against him forever. — Ps. 79 : 8 ; Isa. 
43 : 25. 

5. Forgivingness declares the law of condemna- 
tion against all sin and wrong, and especially against 
all unrepented wrong; forgiveness removes the con- 
demnation, and graciously repeats to the forgiven, 
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them 
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, 
but after the Spirit." — Rom. 8 : 1. 

6. Forgivingness would not mistreat the impeni- 
ent, nor, on the other hand, be intimate with him, but he 



FORGIVINGNESS AND FORGIVENESS? 287 

would hold himself somewhat in reserve; but forgive- 
ness would remove all restraints and reserves and 
would be kind and cordial. 

III. When the writer first preached this doctrine 
of forgiveness only for penitent, and forgivingness 
toward the impenitent, the minister to whom he 
mentioned these views, at first expressed a doubt, but 
then said, "never thought of it that way before. But 
since I have considered it, the position seems to be 
quite reasonable and Scriptural. And just the other 
day I read a story which seems to me to illustrate 
quite aptly the difference between forgivingness and 
forgiveness. And I will relate it to you, and you can 
use it whenever you see fit." He said the plot of the 
story was laid in the State of Mississippi. A farmer's 
wife had called in her husband and sons from their 
work to dinner. One of the boys insisted on eat- 
ing without washing. His mother insisted that he 
wash before he eat. He still refused to wash, complain- 
ing that he was too tired and hungry to wash. After 
repeated refusals to wash, his mother took him by the 
arm, and led him away from the table till he should 
wash his hands and face and comb his hair. He 
sulked around, and would not wash, nor was he al- 
lowed to return to the table. After dinner he returned 
with his father and brothers to his work in the field. 
But along about two o'clock, his appetite clamored for 
satisfaction so emphatically that he returned to the 
house. He washed very thoroughly, and wiped his 
face quite dry. Then he carefully combed his hair. 
After he had finished his ablutions and his toilet, he 
repaired to the dining room, and said, "Mother, I am 



288 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

very hungry, and I have carefully washed and wiped 
my face and hands, and combed my hair, and mother, 
please let me have some dinner. I am so hungry." His 
mother was very glad, and kindly replied, "Yes, John, 
I will. I have kept your dinner warm for you. For I 
thought you would get hungry, and would want to 
eat. Come on, John, and I will set it out for you." 
Then John sat down and ate with great relish, for he 
was very hungry indeed. But he might have eaten 
at noon if he had only washed and combed his hair, 
and come to the table in the proper manner. Now this 
mother absolutely refused to forgive her son's rude- 
ness and bad manners, and let him come to the table 
dirty and unkempt. His mother was very anxious to 
let him have dinner. The very fact that she kept his 
dinner warm for him showed that she had forgivingness 
in her heart, in spite of the fact that she did not forgive 
him, and absolutely refused to let him eat while he 
was dirty and unkempt. She had forgivingness, but 
absolutely refused to forgive till her son repented, and 
washed and combed. 

This very aptly illustrates the difference between 
forgivingness and forgiveness. God has graciously and 
generously prepared his table, and has kindly invited all 
to come. Some properly prepare and come. Others 
refuse to come. A few insist on coming to the wedding 
table of the Lamb unprepared. One man came to the 
table without having on his wedding garment. He was 
cast into outer darkness. No man is allowed to come 
unto the table of the Lord unprepared. He wants 
them to come, and is anxious for them to come. But he 
will not let them come unprepared. 



FORGIVINGNESS AND FORGIVENESS? 289 

John Wesley is regarded as authority on all matters 
pertaining to the christian life and experience, not only 
by all branches of Methodists, but also by many in other 
-denominations. He held practically the same views 
in regard to forgivingness and forgiveness as are those 
here expressed. He did not express his view in ex- 
actly the same words, but they meant just the same 
thing. As indicative of his view, and to emphasize and 
support the view of the writer, the view of Wesley 
\ ill be introduced here. In a letter to a young disciple 
dated August 20, 1773, he speaks of a forgiving spirit 
on this wise: 

"One degree of forgiveness is due to every one, 
though impenitent; still I love him as I love all men. 
But the other degree, whereby I should again receive 
him as a friend, is only due to one who says, 'I repent' ; 
that is, convinces me that he does really repent, and 
is entirely changed." 

Notice here that one degree requires only such a 
love as man is required to have toward all men. This 
is mere feeling, which requires only the common offices 
of kindness and favor due to all humanity, and forbids 
the exercise of revenge, on the one hand, but also 
forbids receiving and treating as a friend on the other. 
But he says that full forgiveness requires reception as 
a friend, and that is due only to those who have fully 
convinced him of their sincere repentance, and show 
it by a change in their outward conduct. 

When men are fully penitent, and properly prepared, 
it is easy for them to believe. No effort at all is required 
of the man who has met all the demands, and is fully 
prepared. The boy mentioned above, knew just how 



290 THE MORAL ADJUSTMENTS OF LIFE 

much was required, and he knew when he had fulfilled 
all of the conditions. And he felt when he had fulfilled 
all of the conditions that his mother would certainly let 
him have dinner. He seemed not to doubt it in the 
least. So when we know God, we have not the slight- 
est doubt that God will forgive us when we have fully 
repented. So let all true penitents "draw near with a 
true heart in full assurance of faith." The invitation is 
to come, but to come prepared. All who have made 
sufficient preparation are not only allowed but cor- 
dially invited. Faith is very easy for those who are 
prepared. So prepare and come, believing, and trusting 
God to forgive and save, and save you immediately. 
Amen. 



